The Ties That Bind Us
by BePassionate24
Summary: SEQUEL TO: BECAUSE OF YOU. All Human. A/U. Years later after Elena and Stefan have said their "I Do's" and have started a family together. What happens when their daughter Lillian starts asking some tough questions about her deceased mother, Katherine. Will more heartbreaking past memories be revealed or will secrets stay hidden?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey All! So, this is my sequel to "Because Of You".**

**If you haven't read it yet, I highly suggest that you read that fanfic before you start this one! :) Please let me know what you think and if you like it or not.**

**Also, This story will be including Stefan, Elena and Lillian's P.O.V.'s and I'll be trying to add a few more of our favorite TVD characters into it as well that wasn't in the last story! **

**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own the Vampire Diaries at all! **

**Enjoy!**

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**CHAPTER ONE-The Ties That Bind Us- **

**Elena's P.O.V. **

The alarm buzzes above my head as I shut it off, I hear Stefan snoring softly beside me and I wonder if it's too early to wake him. One of us needs to get the baby ready for daycare and I know that it's most likely going to be me. Stefan had a rough night last night, working late now that Damon has decided to expand the business that they created and open up a larger restaurant then the one that they had started with in downtown Seattle.

I lift my body up slowly as I hear the soft cries of Scarlett in the other room. She's only 6 months old and she's already got an attitude...just like her older sister, Lillian.

Lillian's been doing great, adjusting to school well and loving her friends. But, this is the third time this week that Stefan or I have had to pull her out from the principal's office for becoming too lippy with one of her teachers. It's been a headache and with all the stress of taking care of Scarlet and the possibility of me helping my husband and his brother open up the new restaurant that they've named after the three girls, my head feels like it's going to explode as I get up and tighten my pink pajama pants around my waist, just as I'm about to leave the room his cool hand is on my wrist, pulling me back onto the bed, his brown hair is a mess and his green eyes have that hazy, yet loving look that he only gives to me.

"Good Morning Beautiful." Stefan whispers against my ear, pinning me underneath him as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his lips softly. I seem to get lost in him, too lost to even notice that she's opened our bedroom door without knocking and spying on us until I stop my assault of my husband's soft and warm lips and I hear "OMG! You guys are disgusting!"

* * *

She's staring at us for a long time, watching as Stefan lifts himself off of me in embarrassment as he smiles at his daughter, getting up from the bed and meeting her half way. "Sweetheart, what did dad tell you about knocking?" He says, his hands loosing laying across his bare chest as he looks at her.

Lillian walks half way into our room, stands by the bed and gives me a smirk as she says "Okay. Fine. I'm sorry. But, Scarlet was crying and I thought that maybe you two were too busy..doing whatever!" She says, a smiling forming on her lips as she looks from me to Stefan and then turns on her heels and walks out of the room, like it wasn't a big deal that she nearly caught us making out like teenagers!

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**Lillian's P.O.V. **

I don't get them. They act like I should be a straight A student, be as great as a freaking genius! But, I'm not. I'm 13 years old, an average student and I hate my middle school. I also think that my parents are trying to ruin my life. I mean, he had to go and start a family with her...the woman who I'm supposed to call my mother. But, I know the truth, she's just my Aunt Elena. She's just her sister and she's the one that I blame for not having my own mom around.

As I brush my teeth and look at myself in the mirror in the bathroom that dad had redesigned for me last summer, making it all pink and green..my two favorite colors! I think about what my life would be like if she wasn't around and if my real mom was here instead, raising me with my real dad. I wonder what her laugh sounds like and what kind of advice she would give me if she knew about the guy that I like in my English class, his name is Ryan and he's got the biggest bluest eyes I have ever seen!

I watch as the water swirls around in the sink as I put my tooth brush back into the holder and exhale deeply. Here we go! Another day at school after being kicked out for a day for calling my teacher stupid, another day of trying to put a smile on my face and wishing that she could be here to see me...I wonder if she would be proud of her daughter?

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

"She's just going through a phase." I tell her, watching as Elena changes Scarlett's diaper and she coos at her. Lillian, the daughter that we've both had the most trouble with is just going through a phase, I'm convinced it's just because she's 13 years old now and has the same attitude as Katherine did, so very hot and cold towards everyone, including Elena at times.

"I know, well..at least I think that's just it. I mean, come on Stefan...She adores you and Damon, even Lexi too! But, me...Ha! She looks at me like I've invaded her life! She hates me and I can tell!" She says, nearly crying as she hands me Scarlett and I hold her up with one arm, my free hand grabbing Elena's wrist as she turns to leave the room, avoiding this topic because she knows how painful it is. The fact that she's not Lillian's biological mom has been rough on her lately and it's become worse since she's had the baby.

"She doesn't hate you, Elena. It's just a phase and it's going to pass. I promise. Now, I'm going to take Scarlett to Lexi and Damon's for a little bit while I talk to Damon about the renovations for the D&S Bar and Grill. Okay? I love you, try to have a good day..It's just a phase." I tell her, leaning into her and kissing her lips softly as Scarlett squirms in my arms.

I want to reassure her, to make sure that my wife knows that our daughter, doesn't hate her. That just like everyone that was once 13 years old, it's a part of that 'preteen' attitude that kids get when they think they know it all. You know, the attitude that screams.._.I will do what I want to do!_

I sigh as I reach the hallway, about to turn the corner with Scarlett in my arms when I nearly run into Lillian, she's got her head phones in, some annoying pop song blaring from them as she smiles up at me. That sweet angelic green gaze that matches my eyes looking at me like she always does.

"Hi daddy!" She says, pulling out her head phones as I smile at her, patting the top of her head.

"Hi angel! You better hurry up. Your mom is taking you to school this morning. I have to go to see your Aunt Lexi and Uncle Damon for work. Your sister is going to be coming with you guys too." I tell her, bouncing Scarlett in my arms as she giggles and babbles at me.

"And, Lill...be nice to your mother. She's having a rough day." I tell her, hearing as Lillian groans, I can swear I hear her say under her breath as she turns and walks away from me, going back into her room to get changed..._Elena's not my real mom...why should I be nice to her? _

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**A/N: So, it was a little short, sorry about that. But, I just wanted to get the idea of this out there! Hope you all liked it! **

**-Until Next Time- **

**Follow Me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989 **

**Thanks For Reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! One of my readers asked if I could update and so I did! Here's CH.2! Hope you all like it... :) Enjoy & Thanks for reading!**

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**CHAPTER TWO-The Ties That Bind Us-**

**Elena's P.O.V.**

I drop her off on the side of the street, watching as Lillian gives me her..."I don't want to kiss you on the cheek, in front of all my friends" attitude. She's got one hand on the door handle, about to open the passenger side door as I lock the doors, hearing as she sits back in her seat, glaring at me as she huffs out a breath. "That's not fair!" She says, staring me as I put the car in park and look over at her. I give a silent prayer that Stefan's right, god...please let this be a phase...just that, my daughter doesn't really hate me..right?

"What's going on missy? What's up with the attitude?" I ask, calling her out on it as Lillian scrunches up her nose, the same way she used to when she was a little girl...knowing that she was in trouble for something.

"It's nothing...I'm going to be late." She says, watching out the window as she looks away from me and we both watch as all the other middle schoolers walk into the school.

"Honey, you can tell me anything...you know. I'm your mom..and I know that you and your dad have a closer relationship now that you're a little older. But, I love you, Lillian and that will never change, even if you think that I'm the worst mom in the world. Plus, your my daughter." I tell her, watching as she nods at me, repeating that she's going to be late. Lillian unlocks the door to the brand new SUV that Stefan bought us as she steps out and I watch her, telling her that I love her with the window rolled down as she waves me off and walks into the school.

This daughter of mine, she's always going be the best thing that ever happened to me. But, there's only so much that I can take with her snippy attitude. My god, the older she gets, I swear that I can see more and more pieces of Katherine in her, more _of that I love you one minute with all more heart. But, once you piss me off...I'll be mad forever..._

I pull the car away from the curb, as I remember that now since I'm a stay at home mom, I don't have much else to do...going over to Lexi's house will help...or maybe even going to see Caroline will help me too...I need to distress before I go off on a vacation from it all, just like when I was younger and in college disappearing off the face of the earth for a few days with friends..But, I'm not in my 20's anymore. I'm 37 years old, a mother of two with a husband that adores me and a daughter that wishes that I was her biological mother...

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I've been sitting in their overly decorated overly lavish house for the last hour, looking at blue prints for the new building and the other papers that we would need to sign if we even decide upon this whole expansion thing. But, as I stare at the blue prints and watch as Damon pours himself a large glass of whiskey, I shake my head. Morning drinking now? What happened to the day drinker that I used to know...?

Leaning against the stiff as a board couch that Lexi had insisted on when they moved into this house. Where the hell did they even get all this money...Damon worked the marketing and he was my co-owner of my bar...how can they afford a house that was almost half a million dollars and living in such luxury...? When my family and I live in a modest house, both of us making a modest living. But, since Elena decided that she would stay home with Scarlett, things have been a little tight..Yet, we're getting by and it's just fine.

So as I sit there, debating in my head if Damon really got all this money with working or if he was stealing it...who knows! It's a stupid idea to be honest, but...I personally wouldn't put it past my brother, he's always been kind of sneaky and knew ways around getting what he wanted.

"You know, Stefan..If you and Elena need some mone-" Damon beings to say, taking out a long and thick cigar from a case, lighting the end as he smiles at me and takes a puff of it.

"No, Elena and I are just fine. We're good, Damon. We don't need money...believe me..I won't even hesitate to ask you if we did, since you obviously have a shitload of it stashed somewhere.." I say, instantly regretting my words as Damon laughs, shaking his head as he says "I worked hard for all of this brother, no stealing involved..you seem to forget that I was working my ass off while you played house with Elena..." Damon says, taking a stab at me, at my wife.

"I played house with Elena? Oh, that's rich! I was helping her raise my daughter! She didn't have anyone else and I was there...I wanted to be there for her, for my responsibilities! Trust me..brother, when I say my wife and I are fine...we're fine! We just don't like to show off what money from the business had given us." I tell him, biting on my bottom lip from frustration as we both turn, hearing the door swing open as Lexi walks in, Elena trailing behind her as she yells at us.

"Stefan! Your wife's here! We'll be in the den, girl talk if you need us!" She says, carrying two bags of groceries as I smile at them, watching Elena give me a shrug of her shoulders as she walks past us and into the den, closing the door behind her. I assume, she's getting ready to vent to Lexi and not me, about what's really bugging her.

* * *

**Elena P.O.V.**

"I don't get is Lex! She hates me and as much as I tell myself she doesn't the worse it gets..I know that I'm not Katherine, I never will be. But, I just wish that I could hold her in my arms like I used to when she was a baby. I mean for god sakes, I wish that I could go back in time to the time when she needed me, ran to me and called me..Mom. Oh and that damn attitude, I tried talking to her about it and you know what she did? She bolted out of the car like I just told her that her favorite goldfish died!" I tell her, watching as Lexi gives me a shrug and sighs a deep and heavy breath.

I'm breathless when I finally spill it all out. This whole thing has been eating away at me for weeks and I know that I could call Caroline and tell her all of this, but...She's busy working at the Elementary school that she got a job at. She's just wrapped up into her own world and I just don't want to bug her with it. I've even tried calling Bonnie, but it's been hard since she moved to California with her new boyfriend, she's working as a photographer and it's been hard to stay in touch. I could also, tell Stefan...my husband..But, I already know what he'll say...'It's just a phase sweetheart...It'll pass...HA! A phase? It's more like WWII and I'm the bad guy!

So, as I watch Lexi sit down across from me, a frown on her lips as she hands me a piece of a chocolate cookie. She smiles that worried glance as she starts to speak and I can tell, maybe she's even sick of listening to this...Yet, she's the only one at the moment that I feel like I can tell everything too!

"Elena, it's just part of it all. I know that it's harder for you, because you're not Katherine...But, sweetie you seem to forget that your her mother! You're the one who took her to the hospital when she had a 102 degree fever, holding her hand and staying overnight with her in the E.R. You're the one who held her as she cried from a nightmare, you've been through it all with her and to be completely honest, you may not be your sister...But, Elena...you're a damn great mother and you're doing the best that you can!" She tells me as I exhale the breath I'm holding.

"So, if I'm such a 'great' mom...why does it feel like she loves Stefan over me. I feel like the third wheel sometimes. Like, last night they were sitting on the couch, talking about school and I was in the kitchen, listening and I thought to myself...why the hell doesn't she do that with me anymore? I mean, she used to tell me about her day whenever she would come home...But, now she favor's my husband. I'm not jealous...okay, scratch that..I'm a little jealous!" I tell her, running my hands through my hair as she lets out a laugh.

"Oh, sweetie. It's part of motherhood. We're all a little jealous when our kids pick our husbands over us, sometimes. But, you shouldn't be jealous..It's better for her to tell at least one of you about her day..I would rather Gracie tell Damon or just me, then to not." Lexi tells me, pouring a glass of lemonade in front of me as I stare at her.

How lucky did this woman get? She lives in a huge two story house, Damon works his ass off and she's a school teacher. But, they have the most amazing kid in the world and I'm not just saying that because I'm her aunt, I mean it...Gracie's a good student, amazing manners and she's got a killer jokester attitude...it even amazes me sometimes that she isn't more like her dad...maybe she got the 'chill' genes from her mother...obviously!

We sit there for a long time, talking about the kids and Lexi's new job. But just as I look over at the clock and realize that it's almost time to go pick up the girls. Lexi chimes in with a smile and says. "Maybe we should call up some of the girls...You know...Me, you, Caroline and even if Bonnie could spare a plane ticket up here, we should totally go on a mini vacation..I mean, it doesn't need to be some place far or overnight. It can just be for the day or something and Damon and Stefan can babysit the girls." Lexi tells me, hopefulness in her blue eyes as she pours herself a drink and sits back into the chair she's sitting in...maybe she's right...a mini vacation could solve all my tension...it could be just what I need, a getaway from it all!

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V.**

Damon and I are half way into negotiating where things should be placed and if we need to hire more employees once we get things moving along for the restaurant. But, just when I open my mouth to make another suggestion, my cell phone that's sitting on the table in front of me rings, and I answer it without even looking, maybe it's Klaus, calling me to ask for some advice about how to make a perfect surprise dinner for his and Caroline's upcoming anniversary of being together..who knows?

But once I hear the caller's voice, it becomes all too familiar, it's been nearly two weeks since he's called our cell phone numbers and Elena and I have been thankful for it...But, this time..I'm furious at myself and my own parenting skills when he speaks.

"Hi, Mr. Salvatore. This is Mr. Lockwood, the principal at Roosevelt Middle school. I was informing to call you that your daughter, Lillian has been in a fist fight with a classmate of hers...She's sitting in my office right now and I suggest that you or your wife come and pick her up. That is, right before you and I have a little chat." He tells me, sighing over the phone.

I swear that Tyler Lockwood, Roosevelt's principal must think that we're unfit parents because it feels like every other week. Lillian's in his office about something or another. I nod my head as I tell him that I'll be there soon, watching from the corner of my eye as Damon gives me a confused look.

"What's going on...who was that?" Damon asks, getting up from his seat as he tilts his head to the side. Watching as I hang up the cell phone in my hands, running my hands through my hair.

"It was the school principal...Lillian punched some kid in the face after he told her something...He wants to speak with me about her behavior. Look, don't tell, Elena..just let her know that I went to go pick up Lillian and Gracie too. I think I know what's going on it that little head of hers and her and I need to talk about it." I tell him, watching closely as my brother lets out a huff and a small laugh.

"Well, I'm at least glad that the little munchkin stood up for herself! My little niece has some of my attitude! That's wonderful!" Damon says in a proud tone, watching as I stand up and glare at him, grabbing my keys and cell phone as I speak.

"Damon, don't sound too excited...if she keeps this up, I have no idea what I'll do with her! So, like I have always said violence isn't the answer and I'm thankful that this is just a phase." I tell him, rolling my eyes as he scuffs at my words.

"The hell it is! If that little punk kid said something to her, he probably deserved the punch in the face that he got by Lillian's little fists!" Damon tells me, once again having a sense of pride that I'm about to go see her principal for what feels like the 10th time this week!

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**-Until Next Time!- :) **

**Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE-The Ties That Bind Us**

**_Lillian's P.O.V. _**

I watch as he taps his pen against the desk in front of me. He's got a bunch of files in front of him. Mr. Lockwood opens one with my name on the side of it as he lets out a loud sigh.

"Lillian, now do you understand why you're in my office?" He asks me. Of course I do, I'm not an idiot! I punched a guy in the face because he asked me, what if felt like to know that I will never know my real mom because she's dead...

So, instead of replying like I should have, I turned around and punched him, square in the face like Uncle Damon had taught me, in case anyone ever gave me any trouble at school.

I know dad's going to be furious, I know he will. But, they still don't know. Neither of them have any idea that I've been hiding a picture of me and _her_ under my bed. That when I get really sad and I can't sleep at night, I look at it and pretend that I'm talking to her.

They don't have any idea that last summer when I was 12, that I found a video in the attic of when I was a baby and Elena had came to visit me. Katherine was holding me and cooing at me as I cried in her arms, asking Elena if she wanted to hold her brand new baby niece.

She must of forgotten about it. But, it clearly says my birth date and my real mother's name...Katherine Gilbert, on the side of the tape. Neither of them know, that I know about her, that I cry myself to sleep and the hurt in my heart is the main reason that I've been causing so much trouble. Because I would give anything to know her, to just spend one day with the one woman who had gave up her life...for mine.

* * *

**_Stefan's P.O.V. _**

I walk into the principal's office as I see her, she's sitting in this large office chair as he talks to her about manners and proper school behavior. I can nearly see my daughter rolling her dark green eyes as she looks back at Tyler Lockwood. But, once she hears the door click behind me. Lillian gets up from the chair and wraps her arms around my waistline at a quicken paced.

"Daddy! I'm sorry!" She says, tears welling up in her eyes as I pat her head. I love my daughter with my whole heart. I really do. But, her behavior has gotten out of control and so, when I clench my jaw together and politely ask her to leave the room, that I'll talk to her in the car. She doesn't question it, she knows I'm angry with her. Flustered more than anything really.

I watch as she nods her head and grabs her backpack, turning to watch me sit down in the same stop that she had been sitting in as Tyler straightens himself out and gives me a weary smile.

"Thanks for coming, Mr. Salvatore." He says as he opens up a folder in front of him and clears his throat.

"Of course. Look, Mr. Lockwood. I'm sorry that she's acting like this. I just don't know why she would punch some kid in the face like that. That is not how we're raising her at home." I tell him, watching as Tyler scuffs and then hands me her attendance record sheet.

"She's been missing some classes too. Mr. Salvatore...Stefan. I don't know what's going on at home. But, whatever it is, I hope you all figure it out soon. Because, it's clearly affecting your daughter. I suggest that you and your wife take her to counseling, to let her talk to someone, who isn't her parents. " He says, looking at me in a displeased way as I stare back him.

Did he seriously just suggest counseling for us?! Wow, the last time we had tried that...Well, it didn't go very well...for anyone. Elena and I had tried to help with what we knew Lillian would be dealing with once she got older, losing a parent is never easy on anyone, especially a child. So, we had all gone to counseling, talking about our problems and praying that it would help. Making it sound like we were there because Elena had lost her sister and not really telling Lillian the truth, because it was for her..for the loss of_ her_ mother, Katherine.

But, once we thought that she was getting better, that she was coping with the loss of someone that she barely knew. Bam! Things went straight back to the way they were. So, we kept going until the counselor suggested other alternatives. Family activities, more family bonding and things like that, Talking about your day was a major one...The one that I still use with her and Elena, every single day.

But since Scarlett was born and Elena being busy with her. Lillian's started acting strange again, hiding things from us again and now this...3rd time in the principal's office and now as I look down at her attendance record. I know that my wife and I have failed her, we failed at the promises to each other that we had made when we had gotten together, when we had gotten engaged...to always make sure that Lillian knew her mother...that she would know her like we had always wanted her too...so that Katherine was engrained inside of Lillian's heart...to make sure that Lillian knew the other part of her, the other part of her life and herself that she still really has no idea about...

My voice is shaky when I speak as I think about all the times Elena and I had reflected on it, the promises that we had made to each other and the promise to work on it, to make them real for the whole family, for ourselves, for our children...But, once again...we failed!

"Mr. Lockwood, Tyler. Elena and I had tried to get her to go to counseling and it worked for a while. But, it stopped working and now we just decided that we'd try to deal with it on our own. With a lot of suggestions from the counselor that we're implementing in our home. Lillian doesn't really know that Elena isn't her real mom." I tell him, swallowing hard as Tyler leans back into his chair and nods at me.

"Stefan, do you even know why your daughter was called into my office today...why she punched Tommy in the face this morning during their break time during classes?" Tyler asks me, staring at me like I'm the one in trouble here!

I honestly have no idea why she would punch a kid. Suddenly my mind races back to something that Damon had said earlier, _'The hell it is! If that little punk kid said something to her, he probably deserved the punch in the face that he got by Lillian's little fists!'_

Son of a bitch! My brother's been teaching my kid, my sweet little girl how to fight...and I had no idea. I make a mental note to remind myself that Damon and I need to have one of our "brotherly" chats when I get back to his house...I can't wait to get the hell out of here and tell him that he needs to stop that...she's becoming like him and once Elena finds out about all this, which I bet Damon had told her about, the minute I left the house to pick the girls up. My ass will be sleeping out on the couch...for weeks!

I shake my head at the thought of my wife throwing me out of our bedroom, our little sanctuary as I hear Tyler sharpen his pencil in the automatic pencil sharpener next to him and my body tenses at the sound...remembering where I am as he stares at me, waiting for me to respond.

"No, I honestly have no idea what someone would say to Lillian that would make her want to clock them in the face." I tell him, raising my eyebrows at him..trying desperately to hide the fact that part of me is beaming with happiness...MY DAUGHTER kicked a LITTLE BOYS butt!

My short lived happiness seems to end abruptly when Tyler looks at me, leaning forward when he says "Tommy asked Lillian what if felt like to know that her real mother was dead."

_Wait a second...WHAT?! _

"Excuse me?" I ask, my mind racing as my eyes narrow at him...I swear to you that my heart stops when he says it and My mind and body are catching up with the facts of a heartbreaking truth...Lillian's known the truth about Katherine, her real mother and Elena and I have to come clean as to why we've keep trying to keep it from her...But, who even told her...how does she even know...?

* * *

Lillian's got her back leaning against the wall and she sees me walk out of his office, sighing heavily as I look over at her and nod my head, letting her know that it's time to pick Gracie up and go home.

Moments later, all three of us are walking out of the school and back towards the parking lot as I pause, pulling Lillian over to the side by her wrist, being down at the waist to be eye level with her when I ask "Kiddo, I know what happened. Sweetie. We need to talk about it." I tell her, brushing her curly dark brown hair away from her face as she looks up at me with tear filled eyes.

"I want to tell you dad. I really do, But I just can't. Not now." She says, pulling away from me and running to the car where I watch her stand there with Gracie.

Gracie's got her head phones in as she pops chewing gum in her mouth, moving her dirty blonde hair away from her face as she looks up at me."Uncle Stefan! Can Lillian spend the night at our house for the night..I need help with my homework and Lillian said she'll help me." Gracie says, giving me her best smile...looking just like Lexi as she tilts her head to the side, her large blue eyes staring back at me as she adds "Pleaseee?"

I sigh, No. I don't want my daughter spending the night at my brother's...I want her home with us where Elena and I can talk to her about this. But, then again..maybe I need to talk to Elena about it alone first. To find out what this all means , now that our daughter knows that Elena isn't really her mother and that she probably knows more about Katherine then we actually know about.

* * *

**_Elena's P.O.V. _**

I had just gotten Scarlett fed and changed when I heard them downstairs, Stefan's back from picking up the girls and I'm curiously wondering what had taken him so long..

I straighten out my shirt as I walk down the stairs, quickly greeted by a grumpy and pissed off looking husband and two little girls that are looking like someone slapped them both in the face, hard!

"What's going on here?" I ask, my head tilted to the side as Stefan gives me a shrug of his shoulder's. "It's nothing. Hi babe! How was your talk with Lexi?" He says, walking across the now empty living room as he looks around and smiles at me, turning to the girls quickly as they look at each other.

"Stefan, why does my daughter have scratch marks on her face!" I say, bending down and placing my hands on each side of Lillian's rosy cheeks, staring into her green eyes as I smile at her and speak in a soft voice.

"Sweetie, what happened? Did someone beat you up? You can tell me, baby. Please." I beg her.

Lillian nods, tears in her eyes as she wraps her arms around me and then sighs, not uttering a word. We all freeze as I wrap my arms around her, protectively.

Then I hear Damon, walking into the living room where I'm standing with my daughter in my arms and I can see Stefan nervous spinning his wedding band around his finger, a nervous look in his eyes and an even more anxious look on his stoic face.

"Oh, Come on Lillian! Just tell your mom the truth! You beat up Tommy 'The Tank' Fuller because he deserved it! She gave him a black eye and punched him square in the nose, Just like I taught her! Uncle Damon's little boxer in the making, great job kiddo!" Damon says. He's got whiskey in his hand as he swings the bottle back and forth and I watch as the liquid swirls around in the bottle, making me almost nauseous at his words...Damon teaching my kid how to defend herself...just when I told myself that I wanted my daughter to be nothing like her Uncle Damon, here he was...teaching her how to kiss someone's ass!

My body tenses as I lock my eyes on my daughter's, hoping that she tells me the truth as I slowly say what's on my mind. "Honey, did you really punch a boy in the face today...Is that why daddy took so long picking you up?" I ask, my eyes wide with concern as she turns away from me, nodding her head.

I watch as Lillian says nothing else and runs up stairs, closing the door to what I assume is Gracie's room as I stand back up and look over at both Damon and Stefan. I'm furious with myself, with my husband...with this whole damn family for teaching my kid that it's okay to fight some random kid, just because he said something mean to her and not teaching her the opposite...Communication!

As I stand, placing my hands on my hips, my checks are red with anger. I watch Damon look over from me and then back to Stefan and I can tell that something's up, their bodies tense at my voice when I speak, almost yelling at them.

"The Jig is up boys! What the hell is going on here?" I ask them, watching as my husband looks down at his feet and then Damon nudges his shoulder, telling us both that he suddenly hears Lexi calling him from upstairs as I shake my head...He'll find any excuse to get out of an angry rant that is directed at him, more than Stefan!

Damon passes by me as I give him a fake smile, feeling my muscles tense as he gives me a knowing look. "I'm not done with you either..soon...you and I will talk about this!" I tell him, my voice low and almost threatening as Damon waves his hand above his head and then turns before heading up the stairs, saying over his shoulder "You should talk to your husband first...get it all out." He says with a wink before he disappears up the stairs quickly and then I hear Stefan exhale deeply.

"Baby, I can explain. Please, let's just sit down." He tells me, trying to grab my hand as I glare at him and then I scuff, pushing his hand away from mine.

"Don't you dare 'oh baby' me, Stefan! Why the hell does my kid have scratches on her face and what is up with Damon talking about "Tommy Fuller"!" I nearly yell, watching as Stefan's body tenses up as he looks up at me, sadness in his eyes as he nods.

"Please, Elena...you need to sit down for this!" Stefan says, watching as I tilt my head to the side, reluctantly sitting down on the sofa as I look up at him, waiting for him to explain what the hell is going on and why my daughter came home crying on my shoulder, scared to even talk to me.

* * *

**A/N: Hey Guys! Hope you all liked that Update! Also, Thank you guys for all the lovely feedback! :) **

**Feel free to follow me on twitter for updates or if you just want to chat about the show! My twitter is: Green_Eyes1989 **

**Thanks for reading and Until Next Time!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey all! So, here's CH.4! I hope you all like it. Also, I kind of feel like I wanted to clear something up, at this point in the story Lillian has found out a few things about Katherine all on her own. The main thing being that Elena isn't her real mom and that Katherine was.**

**Anyways, I hope you all like this update none the less!**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR-The Ties That Bind Us **

**_Elena P.O.V. _**

I watch him from across the room for a long time. Stefan exhales, inhales and then finally looks over at me, running his hands through his hair as he smiles.

"Elena, Lillian's getting worse and I honestly don't know what to do. She, umm..." He pauses, hesitating almost as I cross my legs over each other and stare back at him.

"She, what? Wait, what I really want to know is why is my daughter coming home with scratches on her face?" I ask him. Anger hitting every single word I say as he eyes me up and down.

"That's the thing. Elena, she knows about Katherine. She knows that you and I have been hiding it from her for a while now and that's why she's been acting out. Honey, I'm sorry." Stefan tells me, his eyes glued to the floor as he shuffles his feet and goes to rest his hand onto my knee, bending down to lock his eyes on mine again.

"How could she know! Stefan, you and I had told each other that we wouldn't tell her everything. I mean, Lillian's too young to understand what Katherine was like, why you both weren't together when she was born and the real reason she's gone...Have you..." I begin to ask, my hands shaking as my mind drifts back to years ago, when we had made a promise to each other that we would do anything we could, to protect her from my sister's past and finding out things that I had told myself that I would protect her from.

Like, from Katherine's drug use to her stint in jail for a few days, my sister was slowly cleaning up her act when she had gotten pregnant and I promised her that I would do anything that I could to help her, to make sure that I would be there for both of them...always and yet, I failed them and my husband at trying to keep this ruse up.

Stefan sighs as he looks at me, tears in his eyes when he says "We're lying to her and she hates us because of it, I can't believe that we did this! I mean, I know that we wanted to protect her..but she found out on her own and I wish we would have told her sooner." He says, as he gets up and sits next to me.

* * *

**_Stefan's P.O.V. _**

I feel the pressure of the guilt filling my lungs as I look over at Elena whose trying to process it all. She's staring at nothing in front of us, her eyes darting from one thing to the next as she sighs.

"What are we going to do?" She asks, placing her hand on my lap as she rubs my knee cap.

Her question lingers in the air for a long time as I think about it. The first time that I had scolded my daughter for lying, telling her that it wasn't right and that it was better to tell the truth. Yet, here we are, my wife and I keeping secrets from her like they would wreck her life for years to come if we told her who Katherine really was, the reason why Elena's taking care of her now and the fact that I wasn't in the picture for a good portion of Katherine's pregnancy.

I regret it now as I sit there with Elena, feeling guilty for even telling her that Lillian knows that she's not her real mother. Yet, both her and I know that out of all the statements in the world, that one is the biggest pile of bull shit that either of us have ever said.

"We're going to tell her the truth and we're going to be honest about it, I don't know how much she already knows. But, I can imagine that it's not very much and she's probably really unclear about it." I tell her, grabbing her hand into mine as I pull her up from the couch that we're sitting on.

I know that Lillian had asked me if she could spend the night at Damon's and Lexi's. But, I can't allow it. I need her home with us, so that we can once and for all put this to rest and talk about..talk about the truth and talk about everything that _her_ mother was and wasn't.

* * *

**_Elena's P.O.V. _**

By the time we leave Damon and Lexi's, the roads are foggy and it's colder than usual outside, the roads look icy even as I look out down the residential street, before I buckle up Scarlett in the back seat behind me and then I too take a seat in the passenger's side. I watch Stefan coming out of the house, apologizing to his brother and his sister in law that Lillian couldn't stay, that we have family matters at hand and that I'll call them once we get back home safely.

I hear the back door slam shut as she huffs out a breath and I turn to look at her. Lillian's green eyes are angry and I can tell on her young face that she feels deceived by me. She doesn't need to say it, I've been her mother long enough to just know it by now, she's hurting.

"Honey..Please." I try to say, turning around in my seat as Stefan gets into the car and turns on the engine. He's tired as I look over at him, probably angry with me too for trying to protect her, to protect my own family from the truths that still haunt me in my sleep. From all the things that I had learned in the past few years about Katherine, about myself and mostly all the things that have led up to this moment in time.

"I don't want to talk about it." She hisses, placing her head phones into her ears as she stares out in the dark night. I feel when Stefan reverses the car and we back out of the drive way. It's dark and the fog is making things hard to see as I watch my husband clutch the steering wheel harder, merging onto the freeway as he sighs.

"Elena, let's just give it a little bit until we talk to her about it. I mean, it's not her fault that she found out about Katherine. This is about us, keeping it from her. Damn it! She was going to find out sooner or later. Maybe it's better that she found out on her own." He says, his jaw tensed as he looks over at me briefly, placing his long lights on to get a better view of the dense fog that's covering the road way in front of us.

"Oh? So, you're trying to say that I shouldn't have hide the tape of my sister from her in the attic, that I shouldn't have hide that damn box that you told me too! So, once again..I'm the one she hates, of course it is...right! Because, I'm not her real mother...yeah. I get it! I really do, Stefan. Because, if I was Katherine, this would not be happening and my child, the one that I may have not given birth too. But, the one that I love more than my own life...hates me!" I shout.

A moment of complete silence hits like a title wave through the car and then I hear in the back seat as Scarlett starts to cry and then watch as Stefan looks over briefly at me and shakes his head, mostly in disappointment at me snapping like that, especially in front of our kids.

"Not, here. Elena! Not now, we're not talking about this in front of her anymore!" He screams at me. Just when I hear it. Lillian's voice coming from the back seat, she's crying and my heart sinks into my stomach as I regret it..my big mouth, my stupid words and my ridiculous decision to deal with what's been eating away at me for so long now, to open up the old wounds that I had promised myself that I had dealt with so long ago. But, I clearly hadn't and now I was taking it out on my own family, like they were the ones to blame for my hidden secrets, for the things that I have kept buried within my heart for so long, even before the night of the accident that had taken Katherine away from me and from everyone else that loved her.

I watch as Stefan exits off the familiar exit ramp and he turns down the road towards our house. By the time we're nearly half way home. She's crying in the back seat and when I turn to comfort her, when I turn my face to look at my daughter in the eyes. She looks at me with this hatred that I have never seen before, the betrayal in her green eyes is evident as she pulls out her head phones and says "She's dead because of you! I got made fun of at school because someone had told the kids that I don't have a real mother, that you're just my step mom, just a replacement for the real thing! I hate you! I hate you and I wish that it would have been you, not her who was gone!" Lillian screams at me, tears streaming down her red rosy cheeks as she opens the back door and runs out towards the backyard into the dark night that surrounds us.

My hands are shaking as Stefan clears his throat, turning the engine off and unbuckling his seat belt as he gives me a worried look and then speaks. "Let me go talk to her. Maybe, I can get through to her." He says, placing his hands on the latch to undo the seat belt as my hands stop his movements and I shake my head.

"No. I'm going to not let you do that. This is between me and my daughter and I need to fix it." I tell him, letting go of his hands as he locks his eyes on me and nods, almost as if he's trying to say that he gets it and that I'm right. This tension between us, this hate that Lillian has towards me has nothing to do with Stefan. It's the fact that she's hurting because of me, this whole situation is because of me and I need to set it right before she starts to hate me forever.

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**-Until Next Time- **

**Feel free to follow me on twitter for updates or just to chat at: Green_Eyes1989**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: So, since I got a request to update this one sooner, Here it is..CH.5.! I hope you all enjoy and also just a reminder that there is a flashback scene in here and it's in italics!**

**Thanks for reading and Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE-The Ties That Bind US**

_**Lillian's P.O.V.**_

I took off. What else was I supposed to do after I had said all those words. Things that I mostly didn't mean. I mean, Elena...she's my mom..she's the one that I had cuddled up next to on the couch after dad had been at work for hours and she made me tea, checking my fever every half hour to make sure it went down and when she noticed that it hadn't it...she rushed me to the E.R., calling Dad in a panic as she sat with me, holding my hand and stroking my hair. Whispering into my ear that things would be okay, that I'd be okay.

But, even through everything that we had been through as a mother and a daughter, I've always felt like something was missing, pieces of myself that I knew were different than my little sister's. So, that's the reason I went looking, for answers that I was afraid that they'd never tell me, for truths that I needed to know for myself because I wanted to know her, I wanted to know all about the woman that gave birth to me, that left me behind...my mother Katherine Gilbert and also I wanted to know more about why they're hiding it all from me, being too protective about her death, being so secretive about the truth.

* * *

_**Elena's P.O.V.**_

My body is freezing when I run after her, my open toed high heels are soaked with the rain that had fallen earlier as I used my cell phone to follow where she had gone.

As much as I want to be mad at her, for Lillian to tell me that she hates me. You'd think that I would be furious with her, wanting to spank her and tell her that she's grounded. But, I've never been that parent, whose yelled at her much. It even surprised Stefan about all the courage it's taken me on numerous occasions not to yell, shout or even raise a hand on my girls.

But, it's just that. I guess growing up in my house with my parents being the way that they were and watching Katherine go through the struggles that she had gone through with them kicking her out and being pregnant and alone. It taught me that I needed to not takes things so seriously, to talk it out with Lillian when she told me that she hated me or told me that she didn't like something that was going on in the house.

So here I am, using my cell phone in the darkened backyard, yelling out my daughter's name as my feet slowly make their way towards her sobs. I can tell that she's sobbing, I can hear it in her little weak voice when she calls out to me and it clicks as to where she's at, under the tree that Stefan had placed there, sitting on the bench that held a small memorial of baby angels and a few carved rocks that include Katherine's name on them with flowers and candle lights surrounding it.

I remember it well now, it was right before we had gotten married. The night that he had asked me to be his wife, when he had told me about it, showed me that whenever any of us wanted to remember her, we could sit down and remember everything there was about her. So, it only makes sense to me that I find Lillian curled up on the bench, her knees to her chest as she cries into her hands as I approach her, clearing my throat and trying my best not to cry myself as I watch her slowly lift up her curly brown hair up to look over at me, her green eyes filled with pain and sorrow.

"Lillian. Baby, please let me explain." I begin, making my way over to sit next to her as I watch her get up, locking her eyes on me with such sadness that my heart breaks for her in a million pieces.

"You and dad could have told me, you should have told me!" She chokes out, her sobs are strangling her words as she wipes away at them and looks me over.

My hands are now in my pockets, my own eyes filling with tears as I remember it. It's a very reminiscent time of when I had lied, to protect Katherine's secret from my parents, not wanting to tell them that she was pregnant because I was afraid of what they would do, what they would say when they found out...

_I had came home after my fight with Katherine, cursing her stupid decision under my breath as I heard my mom yelling on the phone. One of Katherine's closest friends had called her, telling her that Katherine was moving out of her apartment that was on the campus of The University of Washington, telling my mother that she had overheard that my sister was a few weeks pregnant and figured that she should know about it. _

_I remember unlocking the door to the house, already feeling shitty from my drive and my argument with my sister and just wanting to spend the weekend without the usual family drama of what was going on with me for once, being happy that I hadn't been the gossip on the family front about my current dating choices or my ditching classes to party the night away. That for once, it was Katherine my "prefect" sister screwing things up!_

_I remember my mother's eyes on me when I had walked into the house, her posture stiffened as she spoke on the phone and then hung up, glaring at me as I stepped into the kitchen to grab a piece of fruit off the counter top._

_"Did you know about this?" She asked me, giving me a stern look as I shook my head. No. _

_Here I was lying to protect her, to make sure that they wouldn't kick her out of the house when she had decided that she wanted to come home for a long length of time. I didn't want them to ruin Katherine's life or make it harder on her. But here I was, my own mother staring at me as I gulped down my own saliva, carefully dancing around the subject and making sure that she couldn't tell that I was lying._

_Of course I knew about it. I knew that Katherine had decided to move out of the college town and move to the busy city of Seattle, to go and take night classes at a community college and get her degree in nursing. She had told me everything before she finished off with the big secret that she was pregnant and that she didn't know who the father of her baby was because she had been sleeping with two different guys..one of them being Stefan at the time._

_"If you're lying to protect her. I'm warning you, Elena! I want nothing to do with her, you or that bastard child!" My mother screamed, watching my body tense at her hurtful words._

_There it was. The truth. She had made it clear to me that if I had ever made a mistake like this, like the one that Katherine was making that she would disown us all, make it so that we would never step foot near her again, or the house that we had grown up in. My own mother would disown her daughters for a mistake, for something that was beyond our control. _

_"Katherine's pregnant?" I tried to ask, my voice filled with emotions, giving my own tactics away as she stared at me and rolled her eyes._

_"Don't act like you didn't know. That was one of Katherine's old roommates on the phone. She informed me that Katherine was seen around campus with you this afternoon. You were helping her move out of her apartment on campus and seen taking things to her car.." My mother stated, watching as I bowed my head down and rubbed my forehead. She knew. _

_"She could have told me about the pregnancy, your father and I could have helped her!" My mother said, gritting her teeth as I looked over at her and scuffed._

_"Help her? Ha...How mother... by sending her down to California to live with our relatives and help her adopt out the baby. No! This isn't the 1800's! You can't just send a child 'away' when they screw up and get pregnant!" I screamed, my voice high pitched and pissed off as all hell as I watched her take a step towards me._

_"Elena, this needs to be dealt with! She's 25 years old and not married. What is she going to do?" I hear her ask me as I turn my back towards her, the anger boiling through my skin as I turned back around, locking my eyes on my mother as she stared at me, tilting her head to the side in a state of confusion as she repeats her question._

_"What is she going to do, where's she going to go?" She asks, her voice cracking as I look up at her._

_I stand tall, fix my slouched up posture as she watches me exhale deeply when I reply. "I'm going to help her. I'm going to help Katherine with the baby and I'm going to make damn sure that neither of us need a dime for either of you! You make me sick and I swear to God that if you ever say that her daughter is a 'mistake' or 'a bastard' child. You can make sure that Katherine nor I will ever step foot in this house again!" I tell her, turning my back and grabbing my purse off the counter top as I stormed out of the house without another word. _

I can still hear the sound of me slamming the door and the feeling of not being able to breathe at the words that my mom had spoken that day. But, I also remember that it was in that moment that I had made my sister a promise that I was willing to keep until the day that I died. I would always protect her and her unborn child from anything, I'd be there when they needed me and I would make damn sure that no one would ever come between the three of us like my mother had tried to do that day.

* * *

I shake my head back to the present as I watch Lillian stare at me, confusion in her darkened sorrowful eyes as she looks at me. "Why didn't you or dad tell me about her, about Katherine?" She asks, her words cutting me like a knife as I remember that once again, I failed her.

"Sweetie, please. Let's go inside the house and I will tell you everything that you want to know." I try to bargain with her as she crosses her arms over her chest and takes a step back from me, shaking her head vigorously.

"No! Mom! I'm sick of you and dad lying to me. I'm not a baby anymore you know. I can think for myself and I can handle the truth!" she yells, tears welling up into her eyes again as I lock my brown eyes on her.

"I know and I'm sorry. But, you can't blame your father...He had nothing to do with this. Lillian, it was me...I'm the reason that Katherine, my sister...your mom...is gone." I tell her in a broken tone, my voice cracking at the words that have just spilled out of my mouth.

These words, that make me sick and want to vomit. The truth has always been more painful than any lie and as I stand there in the cold with her pain filled and horrified face looking at me. I take a deep breath and begin to unravel what I had been trying to protect her from for all these years of her young life.

* * *

**-Until Next Time!-**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates! Green_Eyes1989**

**Thanks Again for reading and please feel free to leave a review! I love to read what you all think so far! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey all! So here's chapter 6! Please note that there is a flashback scene in this update and as usual it's in italics! **

**Please let me know what you all think. Thanks for reading and Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX-The Ties That Bind Us **

**_Stefan's P.O.V. _**

I watch them through the window of the kitchen as I make a bottle for Scarlett. I've turned on the lights outside to get a better look and I can vaguely make out that Elena's holding a shaking and sobbing Lillian in her arms as she too wipes away at a few fallen tears.

These last few years haven't been easy on us, on our family and on our marriage. Part of me thinks that it's because of our decision, of the fact that we had told each other on a cold winter night so many years ago that we'd keep this from Lillian and only tell her when we felt she was ready to hear it, the truth. The fact that her aunt was the cause behind her not having her mother around anymore. The truth that I was never really around in the beginning because Katherine was sleeping around with another guy and never even told me about being pregnant with my possible child.

All the lies and the truths seem to send me into a trance, the water on the stove's boiling and as I stare down at it, it brings me back to that night. Elena and I in the attic, talking about what we'd do if our daughter came asking for answers, for the truth.

_"We need to make sure that she's ready for it." Elena says, turning around and placing a box on the ground as she looks over at me. _

_It's cold and windy tonight and all I can keep thinking about is the fact that Lexi and Damon have just left with Gracie. It's been storming for the past few hours and I watch as she places a picture of her and Katherine in an empty box and sighs._

_"So, we keep it from her. Until we figure out when to tell her. I mean, Elena we need to tell her the truth though, she has the right to know." I say as she looks up at me. Tears are in her eyes, trying not to spill over the brim as she sniffles and nods._

_"She's five years old. Stefan. How do you tell a five year old that her mother is dead because of a mistake that her aunt made. One mistake that changed our whole lives." Elena tells me, wiping away at her tears as she takes the picture out of the box and holds it into her shaking hands._

_"Okay. I get it. We've all made mistakes. I mean, I've made them too. Like the fact that I didn't stick around and ask Katherine if she really was pregnant and if the baby she was carrying was really mine or not. So, Elena I really do understand that you feel guilty about this. But, baby..You can't keep killing yourself with guilt. You need to tell her the truth one day and when you do, I swear it will set you free." I tell her, watching as she nods her head and then sighs. _

_"Please, just agree with me on this that we won't tell her the truth. Not yet, I'm not ready to relive what I've done to my family, how broken they are and upset with me because of everything that I've done." She says in a broken voice as I walk over to her, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her against my chest. I kiss the top of her head and nod in agreement. "Of course. I promise. When Lillian is old enough, we'll tell her, everything she wants to know." I say as I hold Elena tighter in my arms and I hear her exhale deeply. _

The memory escapes me when I hear them walk up to the door and Elena opens it, the cold air rushes into the house as I look over at both of them, their eyes are both puffy and red as she kisses Lillian on the cheek and holds her tightly in her arms.

"I'm sorry mom. I'm so sorry." Lillian cries into Elena's shirt as she holds onto her and I watch my wife's body shake a bit as she whispers against my daughters ear. "It's okay, Baby. I'm sorry too..I really am."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

Her apology for acting the way she's been acting has been ringing in my ears since we both broke down outside and I told her everything. Starting all the way from the beginning, the night of the accident and the fact that I was driving the car in the snow, waking up in the hospital, feeling all alone and hollow inside. Just when I had learned that I was her sole guardian.

I watch as my daughter wipes away at her tears and runs over to Stefan, hugging him tightly as he bends down to her level. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you." Lillian states as Stefan leans down and kisses her cheek.

"It's okay, baby girl. How about you go get cleaned up and I'll be upstairs soon to make sure you're in bed." He says to her as she shakes her head and we both watch as she nods and disappears up stairs quickly.

He turns to me with a sigh, turning to the side to take out the warm bottle of milk that's still sitting on the stove in a pot of warm water. "Are you okay?" Stefan asks me, taking in my red rimmed eyes, reddened cheeks and puffy red nose as I shake my head.

No. I'm not okay. I've just told my daughter everything that I've been holding inside of me for the past few years and also even mentioned as to why we don't have any pictures of her and my parents or Stefan's parents taken with her when she was a baby.

"She asked about your mom and dad and mine too." I tell him as I tap my fingers against the counter top, my wedding band clinking against the granite.

"And, did you tell her?" He asks me as I swallow the lump in my throat and nod my head.

"Yes. I told her that my parents didn't want anything to do with her or Katherine and me at all for the longest time. Until just a few years ago when you and I went to see them and I broke down at the house and yelled at my mom." I say as I watch him nod and then he places the warm bottle on the counter top in front of us and leans forward, grabbing my hand into his.

"And what did you tell her about my family?" He asks me in a soft tone as I lock my watery eyes on him.

"I told her what you had told me. The same thing, that you had said word for word. That they had gotten divorced, years ago and that your mother passed away months before you had found out about being Lillian's dad. Leaving your dad in a state of shock, which eventually lead to you and Damon not hearing from him at all. Neither of them ever finding out that their son, had a child with my sister." I say as his thumbs rubs against my hand and I shiver at his touch.

"I..uh, I'm going to bed. Okay?" I tell him on a tired tone as Stefan nods his head. Bringing up my hand to his lips and trying to kiss it as I pull it away from him and he frowns a bit.

"Don't. Please." I say as I turn my back towards him and I hear Stefan sigh.

"Elena, don't start pushing me away, not this again. I'm here for you. Remember what I told you when we first started dating, all those years ago. Please, don't forget that." Stefan tells me as my body stiffens at his statement and my mind rushes back to his sweet and sultry words that had made me love him so much back then..._ I am willing to try everything for her. For you._

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh...trouble in paradise? Looks like Elena needs that vacation soon..**

**Follow me on twitter for updates at Green_Eyes1989**

**Also, don't forget to add this story to your favorites/follows if you like it! **

**-Until Next Time!- **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey All! So since I kind of feel like I left chapter 6. really short. I'm making up for it with a longer chapter 7! :) **

**Enjoy and Please feel free to let me know what you think. :)**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN-The Ties That Bind Us **

**Elena's P.O.V. **

A half hour later of sitting in our dark bedroom, alone and thinking about the things that haunt me. I go into our bathroom, turn on the faucet and run the cold water. My hands run through it as I sigh and look up into the mirror, taking in my dark circles, smeared makeup and the hazy sadness that's returned to my eyes.

My hands are clasped together under the running water and my heart jumps into my chest when I hear him speak. Stefan's voice is low and rough as he walks into the bathroom, placing his hands on each side of my shoulders and watching when I lean my weight back into him, closing my eyes at his touch.

"Talk to me. Please, just like we used. I don't want you to shut me out." He tells me, pushing my hair to the side with his hand as he takes his other hand and wraps it around my stomach, pulling me into his chest tightly.

"What's there to talk about? I've already told you everything that you've heard before. If I tell you it again, I'm just reliving the past and I've already done that once tonight." I tell Stefan as he sighs and places his head on my shoulder, his lips close to my ear as he speaks.

"Yes, you have. But, Elena you're killing yourself with feeling so guilty all the time. If you don't talk to me, how am I used to help you get through this hell that your putting yourself through. I thought we already dealt with it." He tells me as he lets go of me and I frown at the sudden loss of contact.

"I've tried. I have. But every time she's mentioned, every time I see Lillian. I see so much of Katherine in her, so much of my sister in her that it kills me all over again." I tell him, swallowing the lump in my throat as Stefan takes a step back and I watch his facial expression change, from worry to pure hurt.

He's silent for a long time as I step out of the bathroom and he watches me pull out a big red duffel bag. Stefan watches in confusion, his hands on his hips, exhaling deeply as he clears his throat.

"What are you doing? Elena, it's the middle of the night. You'd be crazy to go anywhere!" He tells me in a hurried tone as my hands stop from opening the bag further, turning to place a few pieces of my clothing into it as I run my hands through my long hair. I turn my back towards the window in our room, laying down onto the bed as I feel Stefan match my movements.

He's lying on the other side of me, the duffel bag that I had started to pack is in the middle of us and my left hand is by my side as I feel Stefan sigh, grabbing my hand into his as he clears his raspy throat. Hurt evident in his tone as he speaks softly.

"Elena, I don't want you to go anywhere. Please, we can figure this out together. This isn't college anymore. You can't just get up and leave your family! You have responsibilities!" He tells me, his voice rising at the words family and responsibilities as I feel my heart tighten with pressure, with more guilt.

"I know. I know it's not. That's why I'm taking Scarlett with me." I tell him, my voice shaking as I feel him move and watch when he sits up, turning to look down at me.

"No! You're staying here with me and we are working through this! You don't get to push me away anymore, I'm your husband now. Not just some one night stand or college boyfriend! Okay?" He tells me, anger and fury in his voice and in his green darkened eyes that when I look at him I feel it burning a whole into my heart when I tell him in a scared and child like voice.

"I've already made up my mind. It's not for you, it's for me. I need to do this for me. Please, understand that. I love you, so much. But, I can't breathe in this house. I can't live like this anymore, like nothing's wrong. I need to go." I tell him, my eyes welling up with tears as I try to grab onto his hand and Stefan pulls away from me.

"Fine. Do whatever the hell you want, your right..this is for you! But just know that when you're done with all of your soul searching, guilt trip bullshit, that I thought was over. You're going to have a husband and a child waiting back at home for you." He tells me, getting up fully from the bed and grabbing a pillow from the side of me as he huffs out a breath and speaks in an angered tone "I'm going to sleep on the couch tonight. If you leave tonight, just make sure you lock the damn door behind you!"

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I'm furious with myself for sounding like such an idiot and not begging her to stay, to not do this to us and to herself all over again. But, my problem is that I've always wanted to protect her, to respect her choices no matter how shitty they may be.

So, as I throw the pillow down onto the couch and flip on the TV with the remote in my hands. I think about the time when we were in Portland together and how angry, how guilt ridden she was back then. The thought of her eyes and the sound of her broken voice rushes back to me as I sit on the couch and watch the news.

I don't want her to go through that feeling, not again. Not ever. But, I feel helpless and conflicted because I know that if I don't just let her go through with this "recovery" that Elena clearly needs. That my wife will have one more person to place on her 'blame list'...me.

* * *

I hear as she slowly makes her way down the stairs of our house, placing the now full duffel bag onto the ground as I get up from the couch and quicken my pace to her before she ascends up the stairs once again.

"Please, baby. Don't do this. I can help you, we can get the help you need. We can talk to someone!" I tell her, grabbing her by the wrist and trying to pull her towards me. But my hands are quickly pushed away from her as she locks her eyes on mine and heavily exhales before she speaks.

"Please, It's not forever. I just need to get out of here for a little while. Alone. I'll let you know where Scarlett and I will be once I figure it out. I'll call you in the morning, I promise." She says, leaning towards me and kissing my cheek as she runs back upstairs and comes back down with Scarlett in her arms, my daughter, our daughter is fast asleep in my wife's arms with a soft and plush yellow blanket.

I watch them for a bit, as I breath deep and it feels like a knife is being shoved into my heart when Elena walks downstairs and picks up the duffel bag to the side of her, straightening herself up as she gives me a weak smile and turns towards the door.

"Stefan, please know that this has nothing to do with you. I love you and that will never change. I just need a break and it's probably really selfish of me to do this. But, how am I supposed to be the mom that she needs when I can't even look at myself in the mirror without seeing everything that's wrong with me, without seeing everything that I hate about myself and feeling that guilt swallow me alive." She says in a broken tone as she walks up to me, her free hand on my face which is caressing my cheek as Elena whispers softly into my ear. "Close your eyes."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I lean into him, kissing his lips softly and touching the light stubble that's starting to grow on his cheeks as I close my eyes and feel the warm tears spill over. My heart is pounding against my chest as I bend down and place Scarlett securely into her car seat.

My heart shatters even more when I see Stefan standing still in front of me, his hands at his sides and his fingers running against his wedding band as I swallow the lump in my throat, force myself to turn my back and walk out the door with my daughter and my duffel back in my hands. Without another word to my husband and feeling the tears take over as I quickly walk to the SUV that Stefan had bought me and place Scarlett in the back seat, hearing as she stirs and then lets out a loud sigh.

I close the door behind her and walk over to the driver's seat, shutting the door behind me as I slide into it and place my head against the steering wheel, forcing myself not to change my mind, not to turn back and tell Stefan that I'm a stupid woman for doing this, for this whole idea of me thinking that I can fix myself without him.

My breath hitches in my throat and my hands find my keys as I start the car and take out my cell phone from my pocket, calculating in my head at how long it'll take me to get to her apartment in the city that I had known so well, before we had moved to the suburbs. And if she's really in bed at 10:30 at night.

I dismiss it as I wipe the tears from my eyes and I dial her number, placing the phone against my ear, the sound of the ringing buzzing in them as her soft and tired voice answers the phone.

"Hello" She says as I calm my shaking voice and exhale deeply.

"Caroline. It's me. I'm sorry to be calling you so late. I just didn't know who else to call." I tell her, my voice breaking and quivering as I picture her shaking her head and then she replies in a mixture of a cheerful and concerned tone.

"Honey, What's wrong?" Caroline asks me as I shake my head and slam my hand against the steering wheel, making sure not to hit the horn part of it and wake up everyone in the neighborhood.

"I'm pushing him away again, Care. And the worst part of it is that he has no idea why." I tell her, tears streaming down my face as I hear her exhale and she says.

"Elena, don't do that. Not to Stefan of all people. I think I know what's going on and I think that you need to just inhale, exhale and march your ass back to your husband!" Caroline replies as I nod and exhale deeply.

" Caroline, Please I can't talk to him right now. I need to talk to someone who isn't Stefan about this and everything." I tell her, my mind racing as Caroline huffs out a breath and then replies with a sigh.

"Fine, come over. Bring yourself and Scarlett if you want. Elena, just answer me this so that I can prepare myself. What is so important that you need to talk to me about, instead of your husband?" She asks as I picture her in my mind, sitting down on her couch in the two bedroom apartment that Klaus had purchased them. Most likely alone for the night, since Klaus goes on frequent trips for his job and some days even stays over night in a small town outside of Seattle.

"Care, You and Bonnie are the only two people who know everything I've told you about myself and Katherine over the years. But, you are the only person who knows about the fact that Katherine was sleeping with another guy when she and Stefan were broken up for 11 months." I tell her as I exhale and place my hand on the automatic gear shift in the car, placing it slowly in reverse when I take a deep breath and finish my thoughts.

" I want to talk about Katherine and her other ex-boyfriend that she was seeing, months before she died. I want to talk about her and Kol Mikealson and I want you to help me find him." I reply with a shaky tone in my voice as I hear Caroline gasp on the other end and I know that she knows what I'm talking about, I want answers from him about the missing pieces that are fuzzy in my mind about my sister's life and I think that Kol is the key to filling them in.

* * *

**A/N: Follow me on Twitter for updates at Green_Eyes1989 or add this story to your favorites/follows on here if you like it.**

**Thanks for Reading and Until Next Time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hey All! Here's CH.8! Please note that there are two different flashbacks in this update and they are both in italics. Thanks & Enjoy! **

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT-The Ties That Bind Us **

**Elena's P.O.V. **

It's late and I'm barely keeping my eyes open as I walk up the stairs to Caroline's apartment, knocking on the door lightly with my one free hand. The other is tightly around my bags and holding Scarlett's car seat as she snoozes soundly in it.

I look down at my little girl, her small little hands gripping her yellow blanket and her light brown eye lashes are fluttering as she dreams away. I'm lost in the beauty that is my daughter when my best friend opens the door and stands there without a sound, hands on her hips and a saddened expression on her face.

"Come on in. I just called Klaus and told him what was going on. Elena, tell me you're not leaving him." She says with a sad voice as she pats me on the back and steps aside so we can walk in.

I shake my head. No, Stefan and I have been through too much to even think about leaving each other. We've survived, crashed and burned with one another and just the thought of him and my little family is the only thing that's preventing me from going over to Kol Mikealson's house and killing him with my bare hands for everything he did to her, before Katherine had ever gotten pregnant.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I guess I must have forgotten that I had fallen asleep on the couch because when I wake up, my body is stiff, my neck feels tense and my headache is pounding against my ears when I open my eyes to the sound and feeling of being pushed against the cushions of the couch.

"Dad! Dad...Dad...Hey! Wake up!" Lillian says, leaning over me with a slight frown on her face. Her dark curly brown hair and green eyes are glistening in the morning light as I groan from the pain in my back. And I see her eyes glued on me, blinking rapidly, taking a step back and smiling at me as she looks me over.

"Dad, no offense. But you smell and you look like crap." She says as she runs her long thin fingers through her hair. Walking into the kitchen as I get up from the couch and stretch out my aching muscles.

"Mom's car is gone. She didn't leave because of me. Did she?" Lillian asks, standing for a brief second in the living room as I shake my head, no.

I get up and walk into the kitchen, watching her as she glides through it with a box of cereal and a bowl in her hands. She pours herself some and then, shovels a spoonful of cheerios in her mouth.

"Uh, Your aunt Caroline had an emergency last night and your mom went with your sister to see what was going on. I fell asleep waiting for them to get back on the couch.." My voice trails off as Lillian looks up at me and nods her head.

"Okay, well. I'm going to let you get some sleep and I'm going to call uncle Damon to see if I can tag along with Gracie to school today." She tells me, slinging her brown purse over her shoulder as she gives me a smile.

"Oh and Dad?" Lillian says, her voice is soft, green eyes that mirror my own narrowed on me as she clears her throat and speaks.

"I'm sorry if I've not been myself. I'm going to be better. I promise. Mom and I had a talk about it and I just want you to know that I understand it now. Also, I found this on the floor in the hallway this morning." She says as she walks over to me and hands me a familiar picture, one that jolts me back to the night that it was taken and suddenly, I can smell the smoke on my clothes, the music blaring and I can see them vividly dancing the night away...

_"I can tell that you're jealous. It's written all over your face!" Damon tells me, leaning against the bar as we both watch them in the crowd, catching glimpses of her long curly brown hair, her dancing partner running his hands through it when she grinds her hips against him._

_"I'm not." I tell him, picking up the beer to my left side as I took a long sip from it and continued to watch Katherine and Kol dance. _

_"What does she see in that guy anyways? From what I hear, he's a piece of shit! He's totally wrong for her." I inform Damon, turning towards my brother as he laughs and we both turn our heads when we hear her light and fluffy voice from behind us._

_"Oh, come on! What does she see in him? Seriously guys! If I wasn't with Damon, I would be all over him. Tall dark, British and handsome as hell and dangerous!" Lexi slurs as she nearly stumbles into Damon's arms. _

_"Hey babe!" She comments, leaning into my brother as she kisses him quickly. Damon turns Lexi in his arms as she sighs and slowly sways to the music that's starting to slow down. _

_I turn my head briefly and watch them, Katherine's got her arms around his neck. He's smiling at her with that drunken goofy smile and all I want to do is walk over to him and punch him in the face and make her realize that I'm the better choice. _

_"So, has Katherine even introduced the two of you?" Damon asks, letting go of Lexi as he picks his beer back up and smiles at me, grinning from ear to ear. _

_"No." I reply back, firmness in my voice, trying to hide the fact that I hate that once again my "on/off" relationship with Katherine has become a problem and that tonight she's made her new boyfriend Kol Mikealson, tag along with us for our usual night out on the town, Friday night drinking around this shit whole college campus. _

_I hear her click her tongue to the roof of her mouth as she lets out a sigh and elbows me in the chest. "Oh, come on Stefan! Cheer up! Knowing Katherine she's going to realize that her new boyfriend is a scumbag and come crawling back to you! But, you know...if that doesn't work..I've heard that Katherine Gilbert has a sister, Elena." Lexi states as she laughs and then disappears into the crowd of couples that are dancing to an upbeat song, dragging Damon along with her by his arm. _

Lillian's voice once again pulls me out of my trance as I shake my head, the picture of Damon, Lexi, Katherine and I is trembling in my hands as she speaks again."Dad? Mom's on the phone, she wants to speak with you."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

We had stayed up all night long last night, only getting two hours of sleep. Caroline's helping me feed Scarlett as she bounces her up and down in the kitchen, searching for something that she can make us for breakfast. But to be honest as I sit there, the dial tone buzzing in my ears and hearing Lillian's soft voice tell me that she misses me and that once again she's sorry and can't wait till I get home so that we can talk a lot more about what's going on. I feel sick to my stomach all over again.

I hear the sadness in her voice when she tells me that she has to go and hands the phone over to Stefan. I'm silent for a while, until he answers and the knots in my stomach return when he says "Where are you? Elena, baby come home."

"I'm at Caroline's. We're fine. Look, I promise that once I figure this out. I'll be home. It's just us girls and she's about to make us breakfast. I need to go and change Scarlett's diaper. I love you both." I tell him in a hurried tone, before he can say anything else and I end the call. Holding the cell phone in my trembling hands as I look over at Caroline whose giving me a disappointed look.

"You really need to get your shit together. So, speaking of getting your shit together. What have you found on Kol?" She asks, placing Scarlett into a high chair as I glance over at it, head tilted to the side as she smiles and explains. "Klaus and I are trying to have a baby...But, it's not working. So, we're on a list to adopt one." She tells me, a smile spreading across her face as I return her gleeful expression.

"I'm so happy for you, Care. You're going to be a great mother!" I exclaim, watching as she nods and looks down at the floor quickly and then back up at me.

"Yeah, I guess so. Anyways enough about me. What about him?" She asks again as I look back down at the computer screen, Kol's face plastered on it and from what it looks like a current address.

"Um, Kol Mikealson lives in Rainer Valley. It's a really shitty part of town, high crime rate." I tell her, scrolling down to end of the page as Caroline sighs and huffs out a breath.

"What else?" She asks, walking back to take a seat near Scarlett. I hear her voice catch in her throat when I tell her the other small piece of information that I've had my suspicions about.

"He's living in a half way house...usually used when someone's coming off of drugs or is trying to get clean from them. It also says that Kol was arrested in 2006 for cocaine and prescription drug distribution." I tell her, shutting of the screen as I get up off the floor and stretch out. Just then, I hear Caroline gasp out a breath.

"What?" I ask, confusion on my face as I watch her eyes light up with wonder. She's got a spoonful of carrot pea soup directed at my daughter's mouth when she looks at me and says "Do you think that at one point he was Katherine's supplier?"

"Like a drug dealer? Caroline..that's impossible. Katherine wasn't a-" My voice cuts off as I shake my head and listen closely to her words.

"Caroline, my sister was messed up. Yes. But, she wasn't a drug user!" I tell her, scuffing and feeling offended at her choice of words. I watch as Caroline wipes off Scarlett's mouth and then she speaks softly, a calmed tone before she inhales deeply.

"Elena, you have no idea what was going on with her when they were in college...since we were all separated. But, do you remember that night, she called you crying? Telling you that if she told anyone what he was doing to her, that Kol would never make her forget it and that she never felt safe around him. That even though she had only been dating him for a few months, that she felt stuck." Caroline comments as I watch her movements, cleaning my daughters face and my mind drifts back to that night, to the first time I noticed that Katherine was in a lot more trouble then she had been letting on...

_"Damn it Katherine! Open this door right now! I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean what I said on the dance floor or what I did to you. My anger just got the best of me. Come on, darling. Let's go home. Please." He bellowed. I remember hearing the banging sounds in the background, loud music blaring and it being past 1am when she had called me that night in a scared and frightful tone. _

_"Elena, it's late. I know, I just want you to know that I love you and I'm not scared anymore." Katherine told me, shaking in her voice and her sobs choking out most of her words as I sat on my bed in my dorm room. _

_" What are you talking about, Katherine. What's going on? Sis, where are you?" I asked her over and over again, holding onto the cell phone with both hands as I heard Katherine yell something that I couldn't make out and then I could hear another man's voice speak to her in a soft and almost comforting tone._

_"I'll tell him to leave, I'll have Damon get him kicked out of the club. Please Katherine, let me help you up. I can keep you safe, make sure that he never hurts you again. All you have to do is come back to my place and we can figure this out together." _ _His soft and raspy voice was begging her as I heard her sobs become even louder._

_Then I heard Katherine's pleading voice, the scared and fear filled tone being played off like it wasn't a big deal as she replied to him in an almost hypnotic voice."Please Stefan. Just leave me alone, just go! Kol didn't mean to hit me. He loves me, he'd never do anything to hurt me, I can't live without him..I can't live with it, I need the medication."_

* * *

**A/N: Hm..So what did you all think? Hopefully you didn't think it was totally lame! I've been wanting to reveal this as part of Katherine's back story for a very long time now almost considered doing it in (Because Of You) but, I stopped myself. **

**Anyways, Thanks for reading & Until Next Time!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at:Green_Eyes1989**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey All! So, Here's CH.9! Hope you all like it! Also, it includes a flashback that is in italics. Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE-The Ties That Bind Us- **

**_Elena's P.O.V. _**

I'm trying hard to figure it out, to piece it all together. But the memories of my sister all seem to come back in waves, like pieces of a puzzle to something that I can't quite picture. Katherine, a drug addict? No. It can't be...She was a straight A student, The "perfect daughter" and a new mom who loved her daughter more than anything.

So as I drive back home from Caroline's, her in the front seat with me. I don't speak much as she tells me that maybe it would be a better idea to have Stefan go with me to find Kol. To make sure that I don't kill him like I'm planning on doing once I spot that low life son of a bitch!

"Elena, all I'm saying is that Stefan...Well, he knew him once. It would be better for you to go with your husband. Klaus and I can babysit the girls for a few hours." She comments, running her hands through her hair as she sighs. Looking out the window as I push my foot down on the gas pedal and hold onto the steering wheel just a little tighter at the sound of my husband's name...He lied to me!

"Caroline, I think you're right. I mean, he did know him once and maybe I can even find out why he lied to me about it. When we first started dating..Stefan told me that Katherine was dating some other guy that he didn't really know and now all of a sudden he knows him! What the hell is that all about!" I nearly shout as Caroline flinches at my words.

"Elena, maybe he forgot. I mean, Stefan's been going through a lot too." She tells me, shrugging her shoulders back as she looks over at me quickly.

"Forgot? Ha, Seriously? How can you forget something as big as that! He even told me once that he saved her life, he "helped it all go away" whatever that means." I say in a sarcastic tone, turning down our street and into the driveway as I turn towards her with a huff.

"Can you come inside, grab Scarlett and look after the girls. I need to talk to my husband. Alone." I tell her, not even looking as Caroline nods at me and responds with a quick okay. I watch for a brief second as she gets out of the car and slams the door.

"Elena, just know that you can't blame him for it. It's not Stefan who we're blaming here..It's Kol." Caroline informs me as I look over at her and nod, before unlocking the front door and nearly bursting it open.

* * *

**_Stefan's P.O.V. _**

I'm reeling from the picture that's sitting on the dining table. I guess it's because I had forgotten about it and thought that maybe, that my past would never come back to find me, especially that part of my life.

But as I stare down at it. I hear her footsteps, stomping through the house and her voice catches me off guard as she says my name in an angry tone.

"Stefan!" Elena exclaims, coming in through the living room of the house as I turn around and look up at her, one of my hands still on the picture that's on the table.

"In here." I tell her, my voice shaking as I turn around, surprise on my face in the way she says my name when she's angry, just like her sister had done so many times before. My green honest eyes are locked on my wife and as I look at her, my mind drifts back to something that I had nearly forgotten...

_"Stefan! Please, let me go back and see him..Please!" Katherine begged, tears in her eyes as I held her in my arms, stroking her hair gently to calm her. _

_"Katherine, he's nothing but trouble and I swear to God that if I ever see him hurting you again or him giving you those prescription pills. I will kill him without hesitation and I won't think twice about doing it." I told her, tightening my grip around her, feeling as she finally started to relax a bit against my chest. _

_I hear her exhale deeply, sobbing into my shirt and turning in my arms as she continued to beg me to let her go, to leave my apartment and go back to her drug dealing boyfriend. "Stop fighting me! Katherine, you don't need him for anything, you never loved him! Your just using him because he has the one thing you want, the drugs that he's gotten you addicted to!" I told her, hearing as she choked on her sobs. Suddenly pushing herself away from me and locking her eyes on me._

_"Oh really? And what do you love me for Stefan? Huh? Because this on and off relationship of ours is bullshit!" Katherine screams, getting up from the couch that we're sitting on in my one bedroom apartment. _

_"Ha...bullshit? I didn't feed pills down your damn throat! Listen to yourself Katherine! This isn't you. Because I know the real you and this is just the damn drugs talking!" I yelled back, watching as her small frame tensed at my voice._

_I watch as tears start streaming down on her cheeks and she lets out a sigh, running her hands through her hair as she looks up at me. "It's not, Stefan. This is me and if you can't handle that then, I'm leaving to go find Kol!" She tells me, turning towards the door and grabbing her purse, placing it over her shoulder as I gently pull her by the wrist, watching as Katherine stumbles backwards for a second. _

_"It's too late Katherine..He's gone! I had Damon take care of him. I called him and told him to call the cops on Kol. Katherine I can help you, I can save you from yourself!" I tell her, my voice pleading as she looks over at me, locking her eyes with mine in a long glare. _

_"How dare you! You can go to hell Stefan! I don't need your help..There's nothing wrong with me!" She says in a denying tone as I watch her sit down on my couch with a huff._

_"Katherine, Please. Let me help you. I can ask my family for money to buy you a condo and you can stay there. I can even help you with taking some night classes. I know how much you want to be a nurse.." I explain, hoping that she catches on. But, Katherine seems too far gone to even comprehend anything that I'm suggesting._

_I watch her for a long time as she stays silent, trying to digest my words. She exhales deeply as she wipes away at her tears and then she speaks in a soft tone. "Will you really help me? Make it all go away?" She asks, rubbing her hands against her face in frustration as she finishes her thoughts. _

_"Yes. I'll be there every step of the way to help you..I promise." I tell her, sitting down on her left side as I feel Katherine wrap her arms around my waist and sob into my shoulder, the fabric of my shirt muffling her words as she says "Please, help me." _

"Elena let me explain, please." I tell her, watching as she places her hands on her hips like she does when she angry, exhaling through her nose as she locks her eyes on me and stays silent for a minute, almost trying to figure out the facts from all the lies in her head.

"Please, tell me that when you met me that you didn't lie about knowing who the guy was. That she was seeing Kol on the side too!" Elena shouts at me as I look down at my feet, trying to distance myself from the memory of him ripping away Katherine like he had many times over.

"Honey, I would never lie to you. Yes, I knew Kol back then. I was the one who helped Katherine with her drug addiction, pushing her away from him the best that I could. We spent months together, making sure her apartment was great. Damon and I even made sure that she was going to her out patient rehab sessions and I asked my family for money to help with her schooling. Elena, I saved her life..." I tell her, watching as her brown eyes soften on me and she lets out a staggered breath.

"Did you know she was pregnant with Lillian when you were dating her?" She asks me, staring down at her feet and then back up at me.

"No. I didn't..Katherine and I had only been together for a few months before she got pregnant. I found out from someone else months later after the baby was born. Because our relationship was already falling apart back then and once Kol had gotten out of jail, she was seeing him again. So, that's when I gave up on trying to fix her...on trying to save her because she couldn't save herself." I explain in a honest tone, watching as Elena blinks away tears in her brown eyes and she nods.

"Is that why you were at the funeral? at Katherine's funeral. To see if the baby was yours, to see if she looked like you?" She asks, tears threatening to spill over her eyes as I give her a weak smile and speak in a soft and low voice.

"Yes. Damon told me that he had heard that Katherine was pregnant and that she had given birth to a little girl. I guess I was there because I wanted to see if it was true and to know if by looking at her..if she was mine." I tell her, watching as Elena exhales deeply, shaking her head back and forth in disbelief.

* * *

**_Elena's P.O.V. _**

I can't believe the words that are coming out of his mouth. I'm in shock at what Stefan's telling me and I can feel my legs nearly want to give out from underneath me as I look over at him, turning my back and going to sit on the couch in the living room.

"Elena, Please! I'm telling you the truth! I saved her life. Katherine was a mess when I found her and I helped her! I didn't know about Lillian, I had no idea about her until Damon told me and then that night at her apartment with you, looking at her face..I guess I wanted to see if she was mine and if she looked like me because, I wanted to make up for the time I lost with her..." He says walking into the living room and sitting across from me as give him a tearful look.

"Why didn't you say something to me? That you're the one who helped her? That you wanted to see if it was your daughter because you were unsure..." I ask him, watching as his body tenses and then he clears the lump in his throat to speak.

"I hinted at it a few times. But, I didn't want you to think that I was only trying to date you because you looked like your sister or that I was trying to do research on her kid..Elena, I'm sorry. Okay?" He tells me, choking on the last few words that are coming out of his mouth as I narrow my eyes on him.

"Was she still on drugs when she was pregnant?" I ask him, my hands shaking and my stomach churning at my own question that seems to linger in the air for a little bit until he responds.

"I don't know..I don't think she was. But, I'm not sure...I lost contact with her after I heard that she was back with Kol..I'm sorry." He comments as I watch him spin his wedding band around his finger.

But just when I open my mouth to speak, we both freeze when we hear the upstairs bedroom door slam half way shut and then hear her cry out "How dare you both lie to me about her, about who she really was!" She sobs from upstairs before I can even comprehend what's going on, I lock my eyes on Stefan. He's just as surprised as I am and then it clicks when he speaks her name in a quick and worried tone."Lillian!"

* * *

**A/N: Hopefully that explains a few things like in Because Of You when Stefan had known where Katherine's tea cups where in her kitchen O.O. Or maybe it just left you with more questions...Oh cliffhangers! ;) **

**Thanks for reading & follow me on twitter at:Green_Eyes1989 for updates!**

**-Until Next Time-**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey Guys! So, Here's CH.10! Hope you all like it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Also, there is a flashback scene in this update and as always those are in italics! **

**Enjoy!**

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**CHAPTER TEN- The Ties That Bind Us- **

**_Stefan's P.O.V. _**

I watch her, ready to get up from her seat on the couch, nearly ready to pounce on the fact that Lillian's stormed off upstairs and I can tell that part of her is terrified. Elena grips her hair tightly into her hands, staring at me like I'm not even human as she speaks in a tone that's haunting.

" Stefan, talk to her. She'll listen to you. Please." Elena begs, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

I nod at her locking my eyes on hers as she gives me a saddened look and watching me make my way up the stairs to Lillian's room. I place my hand on the door knob, turning it slightly as I hear her sobbing continue.

"Hey, Kiddo. Can we talk?" I ask her, a soft tone in my voice, watching closely when my daughter wipes away at her tears and speaks in a stuttering tone.

"You...You.." She starts to say, pausing to catch her breath as she sits on the floor. Lillian crosses her legs over each other, pulling up the sleeves of her shirt and wiping away at her cascading tears. Exhaling deeply as I nod at her, sitting down in her dark brown office chair, turning it to face her.

"You lied to me." She stammers out of her voice, a small broken voice that could kill you and haunt you all at the same time.

"I know. I know, we did. But, Honey. It was to protect you. Your mom and I didn't want you to find out this way." I tell her, getting up from the chair and moving down to sit next to her, leaning against her bed.

"It doesn't matter! Mom said that Katherine was a good person...The way you two were just talking about her made Katherine sound like a monster. Like a criminal!" Lillian says as she locks her eyes on mine. It's like looking in a mirror, the same hurt and dark green eyes staring back at me as I close my eyes briefly, running my hands through my hair and inhaling heavily before I begin to speak again.

* * *

**Lillian's P.O.V. **

He looks nervous almost, sitting across from me on the floor of my bedroom. But, here's the thing..I wasn't told the whole story. As I sit there, staring at my dad..waiting for him to begin talking I think back to the night when I had ran out of the car after telling Elena that I hated her, that I wished that it had been her and not Katherine who had died all those years ago...

_"You and dad could have told me, you should have told me!" I yelled at her, watching as she took slow step towards me, her feet soaked from the rain that had fallen that night. _

_" You should have told me the truth about how she died! Please, tell me...Please." I'm begging, my voice breaking at the sound of her words when she wipes away at her own tears and leans forward to touch my hand with hers. _

_"Your mom, Katherine...She was a good person. Lillian...When you were a little baby she had a few things going on, a few things that I will tell you. But, not like this..Not right now. Just know that she loved you more than anyone else." Elena says, tears starting to form in her eyes as she wipes away at them and sniffles. _

_"I'll tell you what you want to know, I will try my best to tell you the whole story." She says, watching as I lift my hands up and stretch out my legs. The cold air hitting my legs as I shiver at it and I watch her take off one of dad's jackets from around her shoulders, placing it on my legs to warm them up. _

_"Why did you say that dad's not to blame and that it was your fault?" I ask her, my voice shaking as I lock my eyes with hers._

_"Because I didn't know your father then. He and I weren't even together when Katherine had her accident. Stefan showed up to your mom's funeral and he stayed with me, talking about you later on that night at her apartment in the city..Lillian...I-" She begins to say, swallowing the lump in her throat as she looks down at her soaked feet and then back up at me, moving a strand of hair out of my face with her fingertips._

_"Lillian..Katherine died because she was going to see your dad..She was going to make sure that you knew him. Your mom, wanted you to just know who your dad was..That's all and it was snowing on the roads that night. It was an accident. I was driving..." She says, pausing once more to wipe away at her tears as she exhales and with a shaky breath she begins to speak again. _

_"I was driving and it was so hard to see. But, Katherine was so set on him knowing you that it was hard to convince her to turn around and go home. So, I guess I became just as determined as she was to accomplish her goal. Her dream of having your dad know you..that I was too blind to see the danger in front us and then it happened." She says, breathing in a choppy tone as she grabs her hand into mine and sits there, silently as I inhale too and clear my head, trying to make sense of it all._

_"So, she didn't want to tell you or anyone who my dad was. But, she knew who it was? That's why she wanted to take me to him?" I ask her, watching as Elena nods and then speaks again._

_"Your mom was dating two different guys at the time and she refused to tell anyone who the dad was. But, whenever someone asked her about it she would tell us that he deserved his privacy. Until, the day that I convinced her. Asked her, actually if she wanted her daughter to live her whole life without knowing her biological dad." She comments, running her hands through her hair as she smiles a bit at the memory._

_"And what did she say?" I ask her, watching when she starts to spin her wedding band around her finger nervously._

_"She said that she didn't. That I was right and that she was wrong. Katherine said that she wanted you to know him because he had the right to know that he had a beautiful daughter somewhere out in the world. And that he was an amazing human being who would do anything for his girls." She tells me, watching me closely as I sigh, grabbing her hand into mine as I touch her cold cheek with it._

_"I don't blame you, mom. You did the best that you could under the circumstances that you were given. I just wish that I would have known her...like you and dad did." I tell her as I stare across the yard and look at the now rained on play ground that Gracie and I have spent countless house's playing on when we were smaller...trying to imagine my life with Katherine in it. But, all that happens is that she's replaced, with the one person whose always been there for me...Elena._

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V.**

Lillian seems distracted almost, lost in her own world as she wipes away the tears on her redden cheeks and exhales, pouting a bit at me.

"Why didn't she tell me the whole story. Why didn't either of you tell me the whole story?" She asks me, watching as I adjust my weight and narrow my eyes at her.

"Sweetheart, your mom felt like she wasn't ready to tell you everything. She just felt like it was better to keep this part hidden until we could all get more answers." I tell her, leaning towards her as I brush a strand of her dark curly hair from her green eyes.

Lillian leans towards me, saying nothing as she nods and just when I'm about to say something, I look up and see Elena leaning against the door way of her bedroom.

Our eyes lock on one another as Elena nods and speaks in a soft tone. "Honey, this is grown up stuff. Please, you have nothing to worry about. Your dad and I will figure it out...All I want is for you to be happy and focus on that. Okay? I love you, so much and I will always protect you. So will your dad." She says, walking further into the room and giving me a knowing look as she points out towards the hall and I get up, walking out towards it and leaving the girls to talk it over with one another.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V.**

I can't stand it any longer. Watching my daughter, our daughter cry over all this pain that we're causing her. So, as I explain to her that it has nothing to do with her and more to do with the secrets that her mom was hiding I watch when she nods at me in understanding and exhales deeply.

"Baby, I'm sorry that you even had to hear any of that. I promise that your dad and I will keep our private talk to ourselves. Just know that you have nothing to worry about. Okay?" I tell her, kissing her cheeks softly as she closes her eyes and yawns a bit.

I watch as she pushes herself up from the floor and leans into me, pulling me towards her as I lean down and hold her in my arms tightly. "I love you and I promise that I would never do anything to hurt you. Lillian, I may not be Katherine. But, I do want me and you to sit down one day so that I can explain it all more. Now, there's something that your dad and I have to go do. But, Auntie Caroline is going to watch over you girls okay? She might even take you to Gracie's for a while. Your dad and I will be back soon." I tell her, watching as she locks her eyes on me.

"Mom, I didn't mean it when I said that I hated you guys. I just...I was upset. I'm sorry. I love you." Lillian says in a soft tone as I nod, turning my back towards her and walking downstairs to meet Stefan.

* * *

"We're leaving." I comment, grabbing my jacket off the coat rack by the door as he gives me a confused.

"Elena, our daughter just had a melt down and she wants answers." He says, tilting his head to the side as he places his hands on his hips.

"That's why we're leaving. I want to go meet Kol and give the bastard a piece of my mind and so since you knew him so long ago. You're coming with me!" I exclaim, stepping in front of him and pulling him by the wrist as Stefan shakes his head and gives me a quick smirk.

"Well, if we're going into Rainer Valley. We need to blend in." He tells me, throwing me the keys as I squint my eyes at him.

"With what?" I ask. I smile a bit as I look down at the keys in my hands, giving him a quick smirk.

"The mustang? You want to take our mustang into that shit hole neighborhood." I ask with a laugh as Stefan nods.

"Yeah, because just in case if we have to get the hell out of there quickly. We can..Remember, you used to love that damn car...all those years ago." He reminds me, raising his eye brows at him as I muffle my hand, laughing.

"Oh yeah, I specifically remember your words the day of the rehearsal dinner...What were they again. Oh, yeah that's right-" I begin to say as Stefan nods his head, looking down at his feet as a laugh escapes past his lips.

"You were worried that we would be late and then I said..We're not going to be late..Not with the way that I drive. And I told you that you were cute when you got nervous. Yes. Especially in the mustang. Now, let's go." Stefan tells me, pulling me out the door before I can change my mind as to what car we're taking to go see Kol in.

* * *

Finally, after a half hour of driving. Stefan's holding my hand into his as we park in front of the old nearly abandoned neighborhood and I exhale deeply when I look up to see the white colored house in front of us, a basketball court to the side of it.

I look down at my shaking hands as Stefan exhales too and takes his hand off of the steering wheel, taking it to lift up my face so that he can look at me. "Hey, if you want. We can turn around and go back home. Elena, we don't need answers from him..He was her drug dealer. That's all we should know." He says, watching as I close my eyes and look away from him to my surroundings. Stefan silently watches as my eyes are glued to a tall, brown haired athletic man.

Before, Stefan can even stop me. I'm out of the mustang, arms across my chest when I lean against the car and shout out his name to get his attention."Hey! your Kol Mikealson, aren't you?" I ask him, watching as he turns around, wiping his forehead off of his shirt and placing the baseball bat down in his hands, throwing the baseball off to the side that he was playing with.

I watch the ball hit the fence behind him as he straightens himself out and speaks. "Yeah... Who wants to know...Wait...Katherine?" He asks, his voice shivering and his posture turning into jello as he walks towards me to get a better look, shaking his head in disbelief as a smile forms onto my lips and I clear my throat to respond with a sharp tone. " Nope. Guess again."

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**A/N: Thank you all for reading! **

**Follow me on twitter at Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time-**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey all! Thank you guys so much for all your reviews on this story. They really do mean a lot to mean and I take all of them into consideration when I'm writing. A lot of them are really encouraging and I am loving the fact that so many of you have found the sequel to be a good read! :)**

**Hope you all like this update. Also, it has two flashback parts that are in italics. **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN-The Ties That Bind Us-**

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I watch as Kol takes a step back, placing his hands in his pockets and looking up from Elena and then back to me. "I'm sorry. I have no idea who you are...But, he looks familiar." Kol says nodding his head towards me.

I don't say a word, instead I close the driver's side door and make my way to stand next to my furious wife. Elena looks like she's going to kill with him the deadly glare that's radiating off of her eyes. Her body is tense and her smile's faded long ago. I've never seen her like this, so fueled by rage, by hurt and hatred for this one man that changed her life so much. That she's almost unrecognizable to my own eyes.

"Sweetie, maybe we should go." I tell her, grabbing her arm gently as Elena looks up at me, nearly foaming at the mouth with hatred as she pushes my hand off her arm and she comments with a sharp tone. "No. I'm not going anywhere. Until he gives me some answers. Now, If you want to wait in the car. You can. But, I'm not leaving until I get what I came for!"

I don't say anything, just watch Kol smile at my wife with that same disgusting smile that I had seen some many years ago, after Katherine had spent the night with him, showing up on my door step in the cold pouring rain and somehow we ended up back at the bar that night. Me seething from the blood on her face and her scared to death that one of us would end up dead.

_"What did you do to her!" I screamed, wanting nothing more than to jump over the damn bar table and strangle him. _

_Katherine and I had shown up back at the bar where they had been dancing and drinking with each other. But, it didn't take long for him to start harassing her, to once again pull her in the back and punch her with his knuckles in the face. She came to my apartment, freezing cold from her altercation and with nowhere else to go when I got pissed and told her that I was going back to the bar. But of course, being the stubborn girl that she was...she didn't listen and followed me inside to witness me beat the living shit out of Kol. _

_"Oh, so now you two are shagging each other." Kol smirked, placing his drink down as I stepped behind him, pulling him off of his bar stool and onto the floor with all the strength I had and watching as he fell back on the cold concrete ground. _

_"Come on, Stefan! I'm just messing you with." He replied, as I pulled him up by the collar of his dark blue colored polo shirt and spoke with anger hitting every single syllable. _

_"If you're just screwing around then why does she have a busted up lip. Huh? You gave her a black eye and almost busted her nose! She doesn't deserve this you sick son of a bitch! She deserves someone better, that won't beat her..that won't fuel her addiction! I'm helping her and I swear to God that if I ever see you again...anywhere near her! You're going to wish you died. Do you understand me." I told him in a threatening tone, watching as Kol lifted himself up with his elbows and laughed. _

_"Oh come on! You wouldn't do that. You don't have it in you." He told me, taunting me as I turned around, pushing him back onto the ground and hovering over him. Then without hesitation, I pulled my arm back and punched him hard in the face, watching as the blood splattered onto the floor beneath us. _

_I could hear Katherine scream as she stepped behind me, pulling my arm and urging us to leave. "Stefan! Don't hurt him." She cried, trying to pull me off of him as I turned towards her, glaring at her. _

_"Let's go..Please." Katherine begged again when I looked over at her and let go of my tight grip around Kol's shirt that was fisted in my hands. _

_"You're wrong...I do have it in me to kill you and next time I see you. That is exactly what I'm going to do." I threatened him, watching as Kol looked up at me with fear in his eyes stuttering out a bunch of rambling words as I stepped away from him, swinging my arm around Katherine and walking out of the bar without another word. _

"I know you...You were with Katherine that night at the bar in college...you nearly killed me." He comments, stepping back in a nervous way as he locks his eyes on me and just when I'm about to reply. I hear Elena huff out a breath.

"Well, since my husband doesn't need an introduction. I guess I should introduce myself to you then..I'm not Katherine. I'm Elena Gilbert and you killed my sister."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

Once I tell him, my mind is flooded with memories of Katherine and I. One in particular that stands out as I watch Kol let out a laugh and try to deny the facts..It's too reminiscent to a time in Katherine's apartment when I had came for a three day weekend from college and she blatantly denied that he wasn't beating her, that it was just a misunderstanding...

_"Katherine! Tell me where you got that black eye from!" I shout at her, watching as Katherine brushes past me and almost barricades herself in her small bathroom._

_"It's nothing, Elena. I swear it was an accident." She says. I get up from the couch, watching as she's about to close the door and shut me out. But instead I jump over the little love seat in her living room, making sure to not knock anything over as my hands stop her from closing the door, by placing them on the door with force. _

_"Was it him? Was it the guy that you're seeing. Because if it was I can call dad right now and tell him everything, we can help you Katherine!" I tell her, my voice begging for her to understand, for my sister to just agree and stop this nonsense. _

_But I'm quickly cut off when she opens the door wider with a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, you'd call dad! That's funny. Because the last time I checked they didn't give a damn about me or you or that sweet little girl that I gave birth too! So, Elena...just in case if I die tomorrow..I'll sign her over to you!" Katherine says suddenly as I feel the lump in my throat catch and shake my head._

_"What the hell are you talking about? Katherine, if you're afraid for your life from this guy. There are ways of making you safe. You and Lillian!" I inform her, watching as she locks her eyes on me and speaks with a laugh._

_"It's not that easy! He'll find me and make me regret it. Plus, I can't live without him." She says, her voice almost sounding robotic in a way as I look at her and watch her eyes well up with unshed tears. _

_"Katherine he's abusing you! You don't deserve that. Please, let me help." I plead with her and watch as she scuffs at me words, running her hands through her hair as she says "Leave it alone, Elena. You'd never understand, the relationship that he and I have." _

_"Oh, I may not. But, If I ever met this guy. I would tell him to leave you the fuck alone!" I comment, watching as she shakes her head and laughs."My little sister, always the brave one, always the protector." _

"That's impossible...She didn't have a sister." He tells me, watching as I push myself off of the car door and take a step towards him. The memory of Katherine flowing away when I speak directly to him.

"Wrong! She had a sister, a family, a daughter and a boyfriend that you ripped her away from because you got her hooked on prescription drugs that she was never supposed to be addicted too!" I yell, my voice high pitched and sounding like it's being doused with fire, the more I speak the more it rises, the more hatred I feel for him and before I know it. My feet have brought me far from the car, pushing Kol against the wired fenced, the empty basketball court behind him as he grips his hands against the holes in the silver colored chains.

"I didn't know!" He says, trying to sound innocent. But, I can tell that he's lying. I can see it in his eyes that over the years he's perfected the whole 'innocent con-artist' act and that right now, he's trying to play me.

"You're full of shit! I know that you knew because..I found pictures of the two of you in her apartment! How did you not know that she had a baby, she had a family that loved her and you ruined it with making her think that she loved you. But, funny thing is Kol. Katherine never did love you because you made her believe that she did...with all the drugs that you would get to addicted too and the manipulation that you cast upon her, planted in her head. My sister didn't love you, she loved that you fueled her addiction!" I'm screaming at this point, tears streaming down my face as I watch Stefan pull me towards him, whispering into my ear that I should go and sit in the car.

"Fine! I'm done with him. He's going to deny any wrong doing. So, I'm done!" I shout over my shoulder, feeling Stefan's firm grip on my arms as he pulls me against him, our backs turned towards Kol briefly.

"Go in the car, lock the doors and close your eyes. If anything happens I want you to call the cops. It's going to be fine, I promise. I'll take care of him, I'll handle it." He tells me, leaving a quick kiss against my cheek as I nod at him, knowing what my husband's about to do and silently praying that there are no witnesses around to see him brutally beating the shit out of Kol Mikealson.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I watch as Elena tenses up at my touch, her muscles stiffen as she steps into the car and does what I told her. Then, I inhale deeply. Waiting a few minutes to focus until I bring my attention back to Kol. I pivot on my heels and clear my throat before I speak.

"So, you have no idea who the hell I am...are you sure about that?" I ask him, watching as I step closer towards him. We're just inches away from each other. I say nothing as I watch him almost puff out his chest at me, I personally want to laugh at this guy's lame ass attempt of trying to be tough. But, I bite my tongue as I give him a smirk and push him against the fence, hard!

"Woah! What the fuck man! You bring that crazy ass girl here to harass me for something I barely remember and now you're trying to attack me!" Kol says, giving me a blank stare as I push him into the fence further and place my arm tightly against his windpipe, watching as his eyes broaden and he gasps for air. But, I ignore his requests as he tries to push me off of him and begs for me to let him go.

I just turn around, distancing myself a bit and smirking to as Kol really hits a nerves within me when he says "That fucking chick needs a tighter leash!" And then I hit him, square in the face with every ounce of strength I've got left. I stand there for a minute, smiling, watching as he lets out a loud scream and holds his face with his hands, trying to nurse his wounds and possibly broken jaw.

"What the fuck was that for!" He shouts, spitting out blood onto the grass beneath us and taking his sleeve up to his face. Trying to stop the rapid now gushing red and warm flowing blood out of his broken nose.

"That was for you calling my wife a 'fucking crazy chick' and telling me that she needs to be put on a leash! My wife in that car, is not a dog! But, since you seem too far gone in the head to tell the difference, I punched you to make you remember that you should have some respect!" I tell him, tightening my own fists as I hear him laugh.

"You were Katherine's boyfriend! I remember you now! You're the guy who took her away from me. Tried to get her clean...I guess that didn't work out very well for you since after she had that poor excuse of a kid..She came running back to me, telling me that she missed the sex we had!" Kol says, his speech a bit muffled from the fact that he's still holding his nose with his fingertips, trying to stop the continued bleeding that's now dripping down his shirt.

"I was her boyfriend and I was trying to save her life. But, you came in and fucked it all up! And as far as that kid she had goes..I thank god every single day that she isn't yours, she's better off with me, Kol..at least I know how to treat women the right way! Oh and like my wife said-" I begin to say as he shakes his head.

"She's your wife. But, she looks just like Katherine and she's crazy!" He comments, pushing himself away from the fence that he's leaning on as he stares into the car at Elena who's got her eyes closed shut and her hands on top of her head.

"Yeah, she may look like Katherine. But, she's nothing like what you created her to be in the last months of her life. And, for the record...My wife's not crazy..She just wanted answers for our daughter. So that she can move on with her life. So, that we can both move on with our lives. Because you ruined them, you made my wife a mess and she blamed herself for a long time for her sister's death. But, now I know that it's really you that she should blame. It's because of you that Katherine is dead and that our daughter will never know the great person Katherine was." I tell him, watching as a quick glimmer of remorse passes across his face and then vanishes.

"You know mate. That bitch deserved it. Katherine was a no good low life and she deserved the fate that she got. I'm just sad to say that it wasn't a prescription pill or a needle in the arm that killed her. Because that night before the accident, she was nearly begging to get hooked again." He tells me, his voice loud and distant as I lock my eyes on him, charging at him at full speed when I once again push him against the fence, this time both of my hands are around his neck as he tries to fight me.

I tighten my grip around his now blooded neck and dig my short nails into his skin until he finally stops his movements and breathes out a breath that smells like boozes into my face. "And you, being the dick that you are! You, gave them to her. So, Kol. I guess that you and I had read a totally different article or police report for that matter. Because, Katherine died with a lethal dose of prescription pills and other drugs in her system...that you gave her. The night of the accident!" I tell him, watching him nod and gasp for air.

Finally after watching my finger tips draw blood against his skin, I let him go. I take careful note when he bends down, his hands are on his knees as he steps away from the fence that's become his safety zone. And before he can even think twice or comprehend what I'm doing. My arm flies up into the air, straight for the left side of his face again and the quick blow makes him keel over in pain. Kol ends up flying backwards onto the ground. I can hear him groaning in agony as I kick him in the stomach and place the sole of my shoe onto his windpipe gently as I speak to him, staring directly into his cold and evil eyes.

"I pray that you will burn in hell for everything you did and that maybe deep down in that pea sized brain of yours that you feel a bit of remorse for the things you've done." I tell him, turning my back towards him and making my way to the car without another word, hearing him clutching his stomach in pain. But, once I've reached the car and am about to open the door, I take a quick glance to see him in the fetal position on the cold, wet ground...crying and saying over and over again that he's sorry for what he did.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I'm lost in my own world as I hear the car door open and Stefan slides into the driver's seat. Wincing and exhaling deeply as he tries to act like nothing's wrong. But, I'm concerned when I notice the crimson color of his hand.

"Baby! Are you okay?" I ask him, worry in my brown eyes as I quickly grab his bloodied hand, watching as Stefan inhales a sharp breath when I bend each of his fingers and move his wrist around. "Does it hurt?" I ask him.

He nods at me, taking it away from my grasp as he lifts it to my cheek and gives me a weary smile. "I think it might be broken actually. I'm realizing that I'm getting to old for this shit! But, it'll heal. Are you okay?" He asks, lifting his broken hand to my face and stroking my cheek with his fingers.

It's an automatic reaction to whenever he touches my skin that I close my eyes and lean into him. But this time, I'm crying out of nowhere and the tears don't seem to be shutting off as I ramble on about how much I love him and how much I'm thankful for him. I watch as Stefan leans towards me, feeling his hot breath on my face when he kisses me, running his hands through my hair like he always does.

The kiss is short and quick. But when I feel his thumbs wipe away my tears, I feel a rush of peace with him. "Thank you. For helping me. Thank you for being here. I'll be okay, because I have you with me. And we got what we needed, we got the truth." I tell him, watching as he kisses my forehead, and exhales deeply.

"I love you, Elena and I'll always protect you...even if I get a broken hand out of the deal. Kicking his ass was worth it." He says, leaning away from me to start the car.

I sniffle and rub my eyes, my dark makeup smearing across my face as I look up at him and smile in a way that almost seems foreign to me. I'm smiling widely when I turn in my seat to face the front of the car as I let out a small laugh and say "Yeah. But, babe..that was really fucking hot..I like when you get all mad." I tell him in a teasing tone. Hearing a loud laugh escape his throat.

"Oh, you do. huh?" Stefan asks with a laugh, placing the car in drive as we start to drive down the street.

"Yeah, I like it when you play rough. All badass!" I comment as he smiles widely, licking his lips as he takes his eyes away from me for a second when he says. "Somehow, I think you play a lot rougher."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for Reading & Until Next Time! **

**Follow me on Twitter at: Green_Eyes1989 for updates!**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hey all! Here's CH.12! Hope you guys like it. Just a quick note..it does get a little heated and hopefully not too smutty...so read at your own risk ;) Also, there is a flashback in this update and it's in italics! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE-The Ties That Bind Us**

**Lillian's P.O.V. **

I watch quietly as aunt Caroline places Scarlet's car seat on the ground of their living room, calling out to Klaus as she takes off her jacket and places it on a dining room chair.

Klaus comes out of the kitchen, turning the corner as he nearly bumps into her. He's got a beer in his hands and a smirk on his face when he comes up to me and ruffles the top of my dark brown curly hair, speaking in his soft British accent. "Growing more and more beautiful like your mother everyday! So, speaking of your parents. How's your mom and dad doing?" He asks, watching as I shrug my shoulders back, replying with a vague "Just fine."

I watch as he shifts his eyes away from me and then looks up at Caroline, giving her a quick grin as she nods her head and speaks with a sweet and high pitched tone. "Hey, sweetie. Will you be okay in the living room watching a TV show for a bit while your uncle Klaus and I have a quick chat?" She asks me as I nod at her and watch her pull him into their bedroom, disappearing out of my view. Part of me only catches the first few sentences of her starting to yell at him.

I can't really hear them. But, I'm pretty sure that it has something to do with the reason why Scarlett and I are here for the night and why mom had suggested that we go with aunt Caroline.

* * *

I hear the door close behind them as uncle Klaus lets out a loud laugh, walking over to the other side of the couch that I'm sitting on and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. "You know, Lillian. I heard about the little stunt you pulled at your school..Listen, kid. You cannot be listening to your uncle Damon anymore." He says watching as I scrunch my nose up and rub my forehead with my hands.

"But, uncle Damon told me that if no one saw, I wouldn't get in trouble! How was I supposed to know that principal Lockwood was right around the corner, carrying his lunch back to his office." I point out, listening as Klaus laughs and then shakes his head.

"If you need advice with problems at school. You come to me..I've had my fair share of kicking so major butt. Just ask your aunt Caroline. How do you think I got such a beautiful woman!" He states, leaning back into the couch as he looks over at the TV and points to the white console under it.

"So, do you know anything about playing those go kart games on Wii?" He says with a wide grin as I nod my head, yes.

"Wonderful! Let's play while your aunt cooks us and your baby sister some dinner?" He says smirking over at Caroline who's holding Scarlett in her arms and stirring some soup that's in a small pot.

"Klaus!" She says his name in a sharp tone. I watch him get up from the couch and stop half way in his tracks to start up the Wii. "Yes, darling?" He says in an innocent tone, turning slightly towards her.

"Stop being a bad influence on our sweet niece, you're going to turn her into someone like you or worse...someone like Damon!" Caroline tells him. I watch him lock his eyes on her, quickly looking down at his feet and then back to his wife when he says "Well, love. Lillian already has such good influences around her like her mom and dad. So, I figured why not balance it out...She needs to learn to be a tough kid and an amazing woman like you and Elena." He tells her in a sweet tone as we both laugh and I turn around to see Caroline's cheeks blush a bit from his comment.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I watch him, shifting in his seat, breathing deeply as he parks the car and places his hands onto the steering wheel. Stefan leans forward for a while, before he breaks the silence in the car. This sudden tension that's wedged it's way in between us is noticeable and I guess he can tell too when he brings up the past like it happened yesterday, a happier time between us.

"Do you remember our honeymoon?" He asks, his voice distant and his eyes seem even more far away from me than I've ever seen before as he looks straight ahead.

"Of course I do. How could I forget that! Stefan, we're not that old you know. I will never forget that night." I tell him, watching as he smirks, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips when he nods at my words.

"Yeah...That night was something. Wasn't it?" He says, still staring out at the closed garage door in front of us as he gets lost in his thoughts...I watch him exhale deeply and lick his lips in a devious way, almost as if he can picture it all in his head and before I know it, my own mind is wandering into the very night, into the night that we had acted like we didn't know each other and that left me craving for my husband...

_"So, Miss...What's a beautiful girl like you doing all alone on an elevator...at this hour? It's past midnight." He asks, hands in his suit pockets, the gray fitted tailored jacket outlining his fit back as I lean against the wall in the bright and wooden paneled elevator, feeling as it slowly makes its way up to my floor and then he leans forward and presses the red stop button, locking his eyes on me with a dangerous smile. _

_"My husband. was sending me out to get some ice. But, I guess I got a little lost and forgot it." I tell him, watching him lick his lips and smile widely. _

_"You know, he's a stupid man for letting you go out alone..Especially, such a sexy and beautiful woman like yourself...in that dress too." He tells me, a laugh escaping past his lips. His green eyes are blazing as he looks me up and down, starting from my lean olive colored legs to my thighs, that are covered by the slit in my strapless red dress. _

_"So, what's your name sweetheart?" He asks, leaning forward and pushing himself off of the wall of the elevator, leaning towards me with a grin as I swallow hard, locking my brown eyes on him and responding in a quivering tone when I feel his soft hands on my legs, slowly grazing against my skin, his face inches away from mine when I speak. "You know, I would tell you my name..But, what would your wife think about that." _

_He laughs and then shakes his head, before responding. I inhale deeply, feeling his hand trailing up my legs more, pushing my body against the paneled wall of the elevator, the fabric of my dress is half way past my knees, riding up agonizingly with the movements of his hands. I smirk as he looks at me, biting his lower lip and giving me a pleased glance. _

_"Well, I bet she wouldn't mind much..I sent her out for ice in this hot red dress, a few hours ago and somehow she never returned..I'm guessing she must have gotten sick of me and changed her mind about me surprising her.." He tells me, leaning closer as I feel his hot and intoxicating breath on the curve of my neck that he's staring down at, leaning into me slowly and finally leaving teasing kisses on my flushed skin. I feel lost in my own world, thinking only about him as I lean forward, pushing his body against the other side of the small space as he groans out, running his hands through my hair and brings my face up to his, leaving an unhurried and heart stopping kiss against my already puffed up and raw lips. _

_He breaks away from me, his eyes filled with admiration as he watches me speak. "Surprising her, huh? What did you have in mind?" I ask him, watching as he places his hands to the side of my face, his finger tips against my skin when he smiles and says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nothing special, just hot passionate, elevator sex." _

_I run my hands across his chest with a laugh as he stares at me, pushing my long brown hair to the side and kissing my collar bone. I feel him walk us backward and before I know it my hands are around his waist, he's unzipping the zipper to his pants as he smirks at me. His smile and look leave me filled with desire for him as the smile on his face grows and the glistening in his green darkened loving eyes draws me in._

_"Yeah, too bad she's missing out." He responds, pushing me up against the wall with force as I moan out his name in a pleasurable tone, his green eyes burning with lust when he steps in front of me, taunting me as he slowly slips his hands underneath my dress and I can feel his cool touch against my stomach, against my waistline as he lowers my panties with both hands. _

_"It's...a..shame...she...really..is missing out." I stutter out of my throat. He watches me, swallowing hard and trying to gain my composure when I feel my underwear around my knees and then before I can say anything else, his arms around me again, his hands hoisting me up into his arms. I lean into him, wrapping my legs around his body and moaning into his ears when he pushes us back against the wall and sinks into me with a gradual pace. _

_My arms are around his neck, my mouth sucking on his earlobe as he grunts and groans, pushing himself into me further when I cry out and just when I feel like I'm about to fall apart in his arms, he silences my cries with his tongue battling for mine. His mouth on my lips, as he leaves a sloppy and heated kiss against them that has me gasping for air and wanting him even more in the moment. _

_Suddenly, I feel the elevator move again, as he holds me securely in his arms and then carefully places me down to my feet, a wide and prideful smile across his face when he says with a wink. "It's been a pleasure. Mrs. Salvatore." _

_He steps back, straightening himself and his suit out, zipping up his pants. And, I watch when he steps in front of me once more, pushing me against the paneled wood and leaving a searing kiss against my lips that makes my mouth water and all I'm left with his the taste of him in my mouth and the feeling of him against my body. _

_He watches me carefully for a minute with wide eyes when he sees me pull my underwear back up to my waist. We both hear as the elevator doors open and watch when it leads to the quiet and empty hallway of our hotel. _

_My eyes are filled with a hazy lust for him as he turns towards me , kissing my cheek when he leans against my face and speaks softly into my ear in a seductive tone. "Mrs. Salvatore, you should let your husband, Stefan know that he's doing something right...he's got a gorgeous wife..Thank you for your time, Elena..But, please don't forget the ice darling." Stefan tells me with a smirk. As I watch him turn on his heels with a grin and I'm left with a gapping need and want for my husband when he waves at me and the elevator doors close shut. _

"The elevator...You looked so hot in that dress..We didn't really give a damn about anything back then, did we..?" He asks me with a smirk.

"No. We didn't and I wasn't the only one who looked hot." I comment softly. Watching as Stefan seems to shake off the memory when he opens the car door and steps outside. The cold air cutting through my thin jacket briefly as I watch him step in front of the car, smiling at me before he opens the passenger side and grabs my hand into his, pulling me out of the seat with his good hand.

I exhale deeply as I feel my body push against my husband, the smell of mint on his breath when he sighs a loud pause and locks his eyes on me as he speaks suddenly."I'm still an injured man. But, it was all in the name of love. So, I was thinking..Would you nurse me back to health..So, that I don't have to hurt so much tonight?"

I giggle at him, biting down on my fingernail as he grins and pushes me against the car door, hearing as my breath hitches in my throat and my mouth opens to speak. But, instead I feel Stefan's hand in my hair, his lips against mine and I feel like I can't think straight, like I'm falling into his trap. I can feel him moan into my mouth and his body pushing harder into me when I wrap my arms around him, kissing him back even more forcefully. But, our heated make out session is cut short when he steps away before leaving a kiss on my cheek, whispering against my flushed and heated skin a reminiscent reminder that sends my body and nerves into overdrive. "Just, don't forget the ice this time, darling"

* * *

** A/N: Woah...! ;) Until Next Time & Thanks for reading! **

**Follow me on twitter at: Green_Eyes1989** **for updates! **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hey all! So, Here's Chapter 13. It kind of continues off of where I left off with SE in chapter 12. My imagination kind of ran off with me in this one, so I apologize in advance if it's overly smutty or whatever, But it is filled with a lot of SE fluff too I guess! **

**Enjoy & Thanks for reading! :)**

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us-**

**Stefan's P.O.V**

I watch as she wraps her arms around me a smile lingering on her face as she sighs out into the lavender filled smelling house.

"I'm sorry." Elena said, suddenly. Pushing me backwards into the house with her arms as I almost trip over my own legs, but quickly recover. Watching as my wife lets out a soft laugh, something I haven't heard in what feels like ages escape her lips.

"You don't need to be sorry. Elena, none of this was your fault. I was just defending you and I wanted to see if I was still strong enough to kick his ass. Which, I was. So.. it's okay." I tell her, learning towards her, caressing her soft olive colored skin as she closes her eyes at my touch.

"No, it's not okay. Your hand might be broken and you're refusing to go to the hospital. Stefan, how is that okay?" She says, wrapping her arms around me, placing her head on my chest as she breathes in deep.

"Elena, it's fine. It's not broken. It's just a sprain. Nothing that won't heal in a few days after an ice pack and some...nursing back to heal." I tell her with a wink, feeling her exhale deeply and unravel her arms from around me, taking a step back and starting to make her way towards the kitchen.

I follow her steps as Elena leans against the counter of the island in our open and wide spaced eating area. "He could have killed you." She comments, running her hands through her long brown hair, the wedding ring I had given her..still shining against the light in the room even after all these years.

"Elena, he didn't. I'm right here." I tell her, slowly making my way towards her as she looks up at me, eyes blurred from unshed tears.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, taking a step back as she looks up at me, taking a quivering breath into her lungs.

"I don't know what I would do...If..I ever lost you..I just don't think that I coul-" Elena begins to say. But, something inside of me snaps. Her fears from years ago are resurfacing and it's ripping me apart as I lock my eyes on her, shaking my head and whispering softly that she has nothing to worry about, I'm not going anywhere, I'm not like her sister..I'm not dying, until I've lived a long and happy life with her by my side and our two beautiful girls, until I've grown old with as I hold her in my arms.

"I'm right here, Elena. I have always have been and I will never leave you. I love you, I love the girls so much. Stop worrying that your life is going to be like your sister's. Because, it's not. You have a beautiful family, a beautiful house..a husband that would go to the ends of the earth and make just to make you smile again, just to make you that silly and carefree girl that I had fallen in love with!" I tell her, stepping forward as she takes a step back, leaning towards the sliding door in the house that's in-between the kitchen area and the living room in our house.

"I'm right here." I tell her in a whispered tone, brushing her long hair to the side as I watch her reflection in the glass. Elena's eyes are closed at my touch, her lips are tugging in a small curve that almost looks like a smile as she leans her head back against my shoulder and exhales deeply.

"I love you, I always have and you never have to worry about your life turning into something that it will never be. Because I made a vow to stick by your side even in the shitty times. For better or for worse..in sickness and in health." I tell her, wrapping my arms around her as she exhales deeply and I begin to sway us back and forth to a medley that's stuck in my head as I hum it out past my vocal cords.

"What are you doing?" She asks, her voice quiet and caught in her throat as she tries to clear it and my green eyes catch the reflection of my beautiful wife's smile. It's small, but I swear to you that it's the most genuine, non-fake smile that she's given me in years and looking at her in the light with my arms holding her close against my chest, listening to the feeling of her heart beat under my hand that's around her..makes my heart want to explode.. I love her...I love her more than I ever have before and I never want to have her feel any pain or sadness, ever again.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V**

I turn towards him, Stefan's words echoing in my head as I lean against the sliding glass door, turning to touch my husband's face as he smiles at me, one hand of his hands is wrapped around my waist, caressing the skin underneath my shirt as I try to stay composed, closing my eyes and inhaling through my locked jaw.

I can tell that Stefan's smiling as he gently pushes me up against the glass, I can picture a wicked smile on his face when he clears his throat to speak. "We don't need any music, sweetheart...all we need is a bedroom...so-" Stefan begins to say as I flutter my eyes open. I'm met with a darkened and seductive gaze from him, licking his lips and leaning towards me as he kisses the curve on my neck.

I can't help it, the feeling of the cold glass against my exposed skin, the feeling of him pressed up against me, with nowhere to go. Leaving my heart beating a bit quicker, my breath a lot more staggered as I feel the softness and moistness of his kisses against the curve of my neck and for a moment, I want to melt into him..get so damn lost that the only thing I can see in front of me is his green eyes, feel his soft hands against my flesh and his seductive voice filling every part of my ears.

I take a deep breath, but it feels like it's getting stuck in my vocal cords, not wanting to anywhere as I feel Stefan smile against my skin, his hands wrapping around me and pulling me away from the coldness of the glass. But just when I pull his head up with my finger tips to look at him, to see if I can tell what he's thinking. Stefan's hands slide against the thin waistband of my pants that I'm wearing, he lets out a laugh as I breath out a sigh, a mixture of a moan and a pleasurable gasp when I feel his hands begin to slowly start to work on my jeans.

"Stefan...We-" I try to say, watching as he leads us towards the couch and suddenly I can feel my heart skip a beat inside of my chest. I watch as he places his hands on the middle of my back, continuing his assault of kisses against my collar bone, moving my shirt to the side as he rests one hand underneath me.

I can feel his warm and mint filled breath, mixing with the other scents around my head and suddenly I'm lost in him all over again, feeling as he lowers me down, hovering over me and taking his hand to slowly and achingly slip off one side of my shirt. I watch with intensity as he leans down, kissing my exposed shoulder. And, I shudder at the coolness of his lips in the soft kiss.

"Baby, I don't think that this is a good idea...your hand is hurt." I remind her, watching as he holds himself up by his elbows and frowns at me a bit. Stefan's laying on top of me as he smiles mischievously and says "Yeah, but suddenly when I'm this close to you, the pain all seems to dissipate and it's gone." He tells me, trying to counter this little discussion into it not sounding like a bad idea for us to just have sex on the couch.

I wrap my arms around him, leaning into him with a bright smile and kissing his lips in a sluggish way as I feel his lips meet mine, his tongue against my mouth, his warm breath that showers my face makes me moan out in pleasure as Stefan groans and places his hand into my hair, tenderly massaging my scalp as I breath him in.

I break apart from him, just for a moment to see that spark in his green eyes, watch as he stares down at me, a lazy grin on his lips as he touches the side of my face and speaks in a soft tone. "Maybe your right, I could use that ice pack." He tells me, inhaling deeply and getting up from his position on the couch. I watch as he sits up against the couch cushions with a pained look on his face.

"So, you finally want to say that I'm right?" I ask, hearing as Stefan lets out a laugh.

"It's a sprain, Elena. I can still use it." He tells me, turning around to watch me open the fridge and take out a freezing cold ice pack, wrapping it up in a cloth. I smile at him, shaking my head. I watch Stefan swallow hard as I place the ice pack on the coffee table and he gives me a confused look.

"What?" He asks, his eyes seem to be glued to my breasts as he licks his lips and laughs when I playfully smack at his arm. "Oh, hang on just one second..let me get comfortable." I tell him, a grin on my face as I turn around and grab the ice pack, bringing it up to cover his hand that almost looks limp.

I can hear him swallow hard as he locks his eyes on me, leaning back into the couch more when he spreads his legs open and tries to lean forward, almost as if he wants to start up what he had started earlier again. But, I quickly stop him with my hand on his chest and a small shove at him that sends him deeper into the sofa. "Aha, aha. No...I'm the nurse...my turn to take care of you." I tell him, giving him a pout of my lips as he shakes his head, resting one of his arms against the back of the sofa.

"So, Nurse, Elena is it? What did you have in mind for your sickly and wounded husband?" Stefan asks, his voice cracking as he watches me lean towards him, sitting on his lap when I nearly straddle him, wrapping my legs on each side of his waistline. Stefan's green eyes grow and I swear that I can hear his voice get paralyzing because he closes his eyes when I slowly rub against him, he breaths in a staggered breath when I lean down against his neck and leave a scorching kiss against his neck as Stefan finally lets out an amused huff past his lips and he inhales a sharp breath.

"Well, I was thinking that it could be our dirty little secret." I tell him, feeling as his hands wrap around my back, pulling me closer against him as I let out a shaky breath.

"Aha, and...how long is this treatment going to last, nurse?" Stefan says against my ear, nibbling my earlobe gently as I feel myself stumbling over my own words when I reply and then clear my throat. to take a full breath.

"For as long as I have a craving for you..But, the problem is that..I'm not very strong to wait it out." I tell him with a smile as I feel Stefan's hands slip underneath my shirt, fumbling with the back of my bra as I lean forward, lifting his face up to mine. He smiles at me, pushing a strand of my hair away from my eyes when he smirks at me and nods. "Okay, that is fine. Just fine with me." He says, suddenly lifting me up in his arms, one of his hands is against my back when he exhales deeply from what I imagine is the pain in his hand.

But, Stefan doesn't seem very fazed by it. When, he grins at me and lets out a laugh. "What are you doing, honey your hands going to get worse!" I complain. I wrap my arms around his neck tighter, my legs squeezing the middle portion of his body as he gives me a wide smile and he says with a silly tone. " I'm just making sure that I can enjoy this long enough...you know...once my hands stops hurting..this little fun game, will disappear and I won't be able to accomplish my goal." He says with a grin.

"And, what's the goal exactly?" I ask him, feeling as he turns the corner towards one of the spare bedrooms with me gripping closer towards his body and his good hand holding me up in his arms, that's against my butt.

"To taste every inch of you. Because, let's face it...food just sometimes isn't enough to survive and make a full recovery, when I find myself starving.." He tells me as my eyes grow wide and just when I'm about to say something, to make my mouth and words function together in one sentence. Stefan's got me trapped against the bookshelf in the house, his lips are on mine and I feel his hands slip underneath my shirt, slipping off my bra fairly quickly and then he turns us towards the bedroom, kicking the door open with his foot.

He watches me with a hunger filled gaze, like it's been way to long since we've been this intimate with each other. And, to be honest the last time we had made love at all was before Scarlett was born. So, I can tell that he's flustered and tense, when he slips out of his shirt. Revealing his overly muscular body and making my mouth water for him all over again. Stefan hovers over me for a little bit as I lean towards him on the bed, trying to touch his abs as he smile a sinful smile at me when he moves into me, placing my legs around his waistline and pulling me towards him in one quick motion. I watch him carefully and swallow hard as I feel him start to unbutton my jeans and once he hears me let out a pleasurable moan from his touch against my shivering skin. Stefan smiles with a cruel and playful smirk, green eyes smoldering with sexual frustration as he says "Now, this is more like it...Just make sure to hold on tightly. "

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V**

I hear her moans fill the room as I push myself further into her, Elena's legs are wrapped around mine, her head resting against the pillow beneath her as she grips onto the white colored sheets under us both with her fingertips. Our clothes were discarded on the floor of the spare bedroom long ago and nothing is separating the contact of skin on skin of this heat between us as I watch my wife crumble beneath me, her weak voice filling my ears when she leans towards me and whimpers into them.

"What is it sweetheart, need to catch your breath?" I ask her, watching as she closes her lust filled eyes and lets out a staggered gasp.

I slowly lift myself off of her, watching as she holds her hand to her racing heart and exhales deeply, a foolish grin on her face when she says "What the hell was that..I think you've been holding out on me...That...was..." She begins to say, hearing me let out a laugh.

"Amazing? Sexy? Hot? Passionate?" I ask, filling in the blanks of her sentence as she leans into me and smiles widely, placing her hand on my chest and her head next to mine, kissing the side of my face.

"All of them...well, more. But yeah that cover's some of the bases." Elena tells me. I smile widely, proudly almost when I find myself looking up at the ceiling and exhaling deeply as I wrap my arms around her protectively.

My arms are tracing her bare skin, when she exhales and yawns a bit. "I love you, Stefan. I could have never asked for a better husband, a better father to our beautiful children. Thank you, for being the most amazing person that I've ever met." She comments in a sleep filled voice as I lean down, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too sweetheart. I'm always going to be here for you..Your kind of stuck with me, remember..." I tell her. Watching as her drowsy eyes look up at my wedding band that I'm pointing to. Elena smiles with a grin on her face and then nods slowly "Yeah. I guess, I am. But, I'm perfectly fine with that.. just as long as you...kiss me." She says, her voice filled with sleepiness and a mixture of longing.

I laugh a bit, pulling the warmth of her naked body against mine again and leaning down to lift up her chin. I watch as Elena's brown eyes shoot up and she locks them on me, resting her chin on my chest, her arms underneath her head as she climbs on top of me again with a grin.

"So, how's the hand, now?" She asks with a laugh, pushing her body against mine a bit as I lift my head up from the mattress to look up at her with a smile.

"Are you trying to kill me? Because, the hand's fine..But, everything else is burning with-" I try to tell her, watching as she bites on her lower lip and grins at me, a wild look of passion in her eyes.

"Oh, you know..If I was trying to kill you...I'd do this." Elena says, lowering her head towards my chest as I inhale through my teeth, grinding them against each other. When I see my wife leave feverish, slow moving kisses against my chest. I lean back into the mattress and close my eyes, But I swear that I can hear her lift up her head for a brief moment and stop her attack of kisses just above my belly button when she whispers "Are you slowly dying yet...Because I was thinking we could take a bubble bath together to relieve some of this tense chest pressure and burning, you've got going..I promise. I'll be gentle."

* * *

**Please let me know what you all think. Hopefully it wasn't to horrible! **

** Follow me on Twitter for updates at:Green_Eyes1989 **

**-Until Next Time-**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hey guys! So, I've been kind of stuck with what I want to do to continue this story. So, I put a little twist on it..since it's kind of about exposing secrets too. :) **

**Please let me know what you all think & Enjoy! **

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**CHAPTER FOURTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us**

**Elena's P.O.V.**

I want to wake up and feel it. Feel everything that I've been missing out on, everything that I know I've been trying to block out for years now. And, when I turn in his arms, the towel from our bath still around my hair. My half dressed body wrapped up in a red blanket is pressed up against Stefan's warm chest. It all seems to crash against me, these feelings that I've been numb too that I must have forgotten about as I lay closer towards him and he takes his hands into mine, kissing my knuckles softly as he whispers into the barely lit room.

"I love you..I've always loved you and I want you to know that whenever you need me. I'm here for you, Elena. I'm not Katherine, I am not everyone else that you've lost because I am never leaving your side..Just, please know that. We're married now..it's different." He says, leaning into me and kissing my lips softly as I place my hand on his cheek and smile against his lips.

"I'm sorry I said that..I know, you'd never leave me...I know that. But, it's always going to be a huge part of who I am. Of what makes me scared to live my life to the fullest..Katherine's death was one of the biggest mistakes in my life..And, it's a burden I have to carry. I know that you don't want me too. But, Stefan...she was my sister and I will never forget my last few hours with her..I will never forget them." I tell him, feeling as he pulls me closer and shakes his head.

"I know..we all have burdens, we all have mistakes that we've made. We sure as hell all have secrets too." He says, looking down at the fabric of the blanket around us.

"I've made a lot of mistakes, Elena. I'm not a perfect man. But, when I'm with you..When I'm with the girls..I feel like none of that even matters. And, I know that for you it's different. But, sweetheart..you need to set yourself free of Katherine, of your parents and of everything that has burdened you these last few years." He says, leaning into me and kissing my cheek softly as I sigh.

"I know. And, starting tonight. I promise you that I will. I'm not going to let her haunt me anymore..Stefan. It's time to let Katherine rest in peace and for us to move on with our lives, maybe we can find someone to take care of the girls and we can go somewhere, just the two of us..like we used too." I tell him, feeling as he tightens his grip around me and yawns.

"Yeah, I'd love that. Maybe I can ask Klaus and Caroline, the girls love it there. It's time to move on and be happy. Let's go to Caroline's in the morning and get the girls. I want them home." He tells me, leaning in and kissing my lips as his fingers run through my long brown hair and I lean my head against his chest and start to drift off into sleep...Stefan's right...Moving on will be good.

* * *

**Lillian's P.O.V. **

I'm woken up with the smell of pancakes and coffee grinding in one of those automatic coffee makers as Caroline walks into the room with a wide awake and babbling Scarlett on her hip. She's smiling at me as she snaps her fingers and says "Time to get up, Lillian! Your dad called. He's coming to get you and your sister." Caroline informs me as I watch with sleepy eyes, when she passes Scarlett over to Klaus and he kisses the top of her head, turning around and bouncing up and down with my little sister in his arms.

"Um..He wants us back home so soon? Dad, said that it wouldn't be for a few more days." I tell her, pulling myself up from the couch to look over at Caroline who is tying her hair back into a pony tail.

"Yeah, something about how much your mom and him. Miss you girls." She states, slipping on her shoes as she smiles and says "I'm off to go check on a few things. But, you get to hang out with uncle Klaus for at least another hour or two before your parents show up." Caroline says with a smile as I watch her blow a kiss to each of us, grabbing her purse and walking out of the apartment in silence.

I hear as Klaus starts to rock Scarlett in his arms and looks up at me, meeting me half way into the living room as he says "You're parents are really worried about you, Lillian. You need to listen to them, they love you. You don't want to make the same mistakes, I've made in my life...You need to be a good kid." Klaus tells me with a stern tone as I nod.

"I know, they do...But, it wasn't fair what they did to me. Not telling me about Katherine, my mother...I don't know who I am. I mean, I know one part me. But then I'm left with so many questions. Um, Klaus..did you know Katherine?" I ask him, watching as he shifts his weight from one side to the other and places Scarlett in one of those portable cribs that's against the wall in the corner of the room.

"Um...yeah. I did." Klaus says in a soft tone as I watch him stand against the wall, head down, staring at his feet almost in embarrassment when he gives me a look that nearly makes me want to cry.

"Sweetheart...Lillian. Your mom, Katherine. She, um..she used to hang out with my brother..Kol. He wasn't a good influence on her and he got her into a lot of trouble. Honey, your mom was addicted to drugs because of my brother. I'm sorry, Lillian..But, you may be too young to understand it all fully. But, my brother is the reason why Katherine isn't here anymore." He says, his voice hoarse as he locks his eyes on my now watery green eyes and just when I want to say something more, like what the hell is he talking about?

Drugs...? I've learned about them in school..how bad they are for you. How once you get caught up in the drug fueled world, that it never lets you go, that you sell your soul to it. I want to ask Klaus if he ever saw them, Katherine and Kol together? I have so many questions swirling in my mind. But, they all seem to take a pause when there's a knock at the door and Klaus goes to open it suddenly.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I'm anxious to see them. I was so anxious to go get my girls that I left Elena at the house, to clean up and I took off towards their apartment quickly, To be honest, my mind swirls around with the thought of Lillian being left alone with Klaus for a few hours..which will lead to nothing good. Maybe, that's why I called Caroline and asked her where she was. But, when she told me that she had just left the apartment, I knew that I had to get there soon and not an hour or two later.

I know it was only an overnight visit with Caroline and Klaus. But, I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong when Klaus opens the door and he gives me a look ,almost as if he silently telling me that he's sorry for what he's just done.

"Hey. What's going on?" I ask, taking a step forward as I watch him take one step back, opening the door wider and giving me a view of their apartment. I see Lillian sitting on the couch, her head in her hands as I faintly hear my 13 year old daughter, sobbing and then my eyes drift over to the crib that Scarlett is sleeping soundly in.

"What the hell did you do? What did you tell her Klaus?" I ask him, angrily. Pushing my way into the apartment and towards my daughter as she looks up at me with watery eyes.

"Is it true?" She asks, her voice barely able to squeeze the words past her vocal cords as I look away from her and towards Klaus, turning around in one quick motion and throwing him against the wall roughly with a loud thud.

"How could you! I already told her the truth!" I yell at him, my arm pressed up against his windpipe as his eyes begin to water and he tries to speak in a wheezing tone.

"No..you..didn't. You didn't have it in you to tell her the truth, Stefan...You never have.. So, I did it for you. I told your daughter the truth of what her mother really was. So, now she doesn't have to idolize the dead. Katherine, wasn't a good person, Stefan. We both know that...You just never came to terms with it. But, now Lillian knows the truth. She can decide what she'll do with that information from now on." Klaus says, smirking at me with a grin as I shove him harder into the wall and turn away from him.

"You son of a bitch! I want you to stay away from my kids, from my family. Do you hear me. The only person who can come over, is Caroline. But, you...I swear to god that if I see you on my property. You won't be left standing..at all! Let's go Lillian, get your stuff from the other room and get your sister..Now!" I tell her, my voice harsh as I turn away from Klaus and hear as he lets out a laugh.

I watch as Lillian leaves the living room, pausing to pick up Scarlett on the way back into the bedroom. Then I turn my attention back to Klaus, he's got a smirk on his face as he laughs again.

I glare at him, wanting to punch his face even harder than I did to his brother. But, I can't. My girls are in the other room and it's not the time or place to kick his ass...Not at least..I'll spare him for a while.

"I know that Caroline doesn't know about your little secret. But, I pray to God that once she finds out that you and Kol are brothers, that you never told her about him or who you really are..Then, she'll realize the mistake she made all those years ago when she picked you, instead of Tyler Lockwood! I just hope that, for her sake..that Caroline doesn't fall into the same trap that Katherine did. I guess I could warn her, let her know who she's really been living with for the last few years." I tell him, watching as he fists the fabric of my shirt up near the collar of it and tries to throw my body against the wall.

But, Klaus stops short when he lets go and sees Lillian with Scarlett in her arms, walking towards us and to the front door. "Ready to go, kiddo? I ask her, watching as she nods and hands me Scarlett. I grab my daughter as she snuggles against my chest and give one last glare towards the guy that I used to call a friend, But now, I want nothing more than to expose him for the evil man that he is deep down.

"You and I are done, our friendship is over! You're a lucky man, Klaus...Because if it wasn't for the fact that my girls were here...I would have done way more damage to you, then I did to your brother...How's Kol, by the way? Have you visited him in the hospital yet..Made sure that he doesn't have any more broken bones?" I ask him in a taunting way. Taking a step out of the apartment as I hear him let out a huffed breath.

" Oh, my brother is just fine..But, I don't know that you'll be..fine.. the next time I see you." He says with a small smile and watches me shake my head, taking a step towards him in a threatening way.

"That's funny. Because the next time I see you, there will be no next time. Don't forget to tell your wife...Because if you don't..I won't hesitate for one second to tell her about your family history." I tell him, stepping back and heading down the stairs without another word towards the car when I hear Lillian ask me in a soft voice about what's going on.

"Nothing, honey. Don't worry about it. Okay? Your uncle Klaus and I were just having a little friendly chat." I tell her, unlocking the door and opening the back seat to place Scarlett in her car seat as I look up briefly and watch Klaus lean against the railing of the stairs with a grin on his face. He locks his eyes on mine through the tinted windows and I give him one more warning look, as part of me thinks about all the times I wish I would have told Caroline, given her a clue as to who it was that she was really marrying when she had said her vows to him, four years ago.

* * *

** A/N: So, Klaus & Kol..brothers..of course they are..But, Caroline not really knowing for a few years..uh ohh..**

**-Thanks for reading & Until Next Time- **

**Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Hey readers! So, this is sort of a filler chapter...It's kind of short! But, I hope you all like it regardless..It has a nice little Damon and Stefan part in it! :) **

**Enjoy & Thanks for Reading!**

* * *

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us **

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I hear as the door swings open and Stefan comes stumbling inside. He's pissed off and he doesn't need to say it. I can see it in his eyes as he glares at me. We both watch as I quietly tell Lillian to go upstairs and she hands Scarlett to me. I kiss the top of my daughters head and tell Lillian that I'll call her down once lunch is ready.

He waits to speak, scrunching his nose and staring down at his hands as he exhales and speaks in an angered and irritated tone. I know why he's so anger. Stefan couldn't stop himself from telling me everything earlier. Pulling over the car and talking to me outside as he gave the girls ice cream to keep them occupied as he explained what was going on. So, when he got home, I could tell that the "Klaus" problem was still bothering him.

"That son of a bitch! He's been screwing with her! I swear, I'm done with him, Elena! I am beyond down with him!" Stefan declares, watching when I lean against the refrigerator with Scarlett in my arms, a warm bottle in my hands as I rock her gently.

"Honey, are you sure that Caroline doesn't know? I mean, she does live with him...She should know that Klaus and Kol are brothers." I tell him, watching as Stefan gets up and runs his hands through his hair.

"She doesn't! Because if she knew...Klaus would be a dead man and she wouldn't have picked him...Damn it, I knew that she should have picked Tyler! I swear, Elena...Once Caroline finds out. I am going to kill him, that is...if she doesn't get to him first!" Stefan declares, standing up and walking out of the room, his fingers balled up into fists as he shouts over his shoulder in an angered tone. "I'm going to go call Damon! He needs to know about this, shit."

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V.**

I want to kill him. How could he do this to her? My best friend, Elena's best friend? My hands are shaking and my blood is pumping with hate towards Klaus as I dial Damon's number.

"Hey!" Lexi answers, her voice soft and playful as I smile. I can't help but not smile at the sound of her cheery voice.

"Hey..Lexi. Is Damon home?" I ask her, listening as she places her hand on the receiver and yells out her husband's name. Lexi tells me a quick goodbye and then hands the phone over to my brother, whose got the same cheerful tone.

"What's up little brother?" Damon asks, I exhale deeply. Trying to control the hate that I feel radiating off of my body, off every nerve inside of me as I think about what had happened earlier.

"It's about Klaus. Look, Elena's home with the girls..Can you and I meet someplace? I really need to talk to you." I ask him, hearing as my brother exhales and then agrees...Telling me to meet him at our under construction bar and grill. My old office hasn't really been touched in a while and it's quiet there. So, Damon and I can think of something to do about Klaus and his betrayal of Caroline.

"30 minutes. I'll see you soon..and, Stefan...What the hell did he do?" Damon asks, as he exhales and hears me respond with a quick "I'll tell you soon!"

* * *

"You have got to be kidding me! Stefan are you sure that he's not just messing with you?" Damon asks, kicking up his feet on my desk as I open a drawer and pull out two glasses, filling them half way with bourbon and handing Damon his glass.

"No. I wish I was...Damon, Klaus and Kol are brothers and Caroline has no idea that her husband is partially responsible for it..For killing, Katherine." I tell him, watching as Damon nearly spits out his drink at me, swallowing hard as I knock mine back...I need this, the hard liquor burning in my throat as I lock my eyes with my older brother and watch when he throws his feet onto the ground of the floor with a thud.

"Come on, Stefan. Klaus is a good guy! How is he even responsible for Katherine..As far as I'm concerned..Katherine did that shit to herself! Just because Kol gave her drugs, it doesn't mean that Klaus had anything to do with it." Damon explains, trying to reason with me, trying to make me see that maybe it's wrong to blame Klaus when he's just associated..related to Kol.

"Guilty by association, isn't fair to the man that our kids love so damn much! They call him, uncle!" Damon tells me again, pouring himself another drink and tilting his head to the side as he nods.

"I don't give a damn, my daughter calls you uncle too...But, I don't see you being a dick and telling Lillian about how her mother died! Damon, he told my daughter...He told Lillian the truth about Katherine, what she was involved in...that his brother was the one who killed her mother. Damon, Klaus had no right in telling my daughter that!" I spit out, my breath is staggered as Damon lifts up his head, staring at me blankly and then I can see the spark in his eyes, the same one that I had seen in myself earlier in the car when I was driving the girls back home. "Well, then..That is a different story, all together...You are right! It wasn't his place to tell her..So, what do you want to do about it?" Damon asks me, watching as I knock back my second bourbon of the night..feeling it burn as it goes down.

"I want to meet with him, to make him realize that he can't do that! To me, to my family..or to Caroline, my wife's best friend!" I reply, my voice raising with irritation as Damon nods, pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number. I glance over at him in surprise, my hands tightly gripping my glass as I hear his thick British accent over the phone and I know exactly what Damon is planning...a meeting of sorts.

I want to say something, to add into their conversation..Maybe a dinner with everyone would have solved this...Not planning on kicking his ass! But, my mind stops it's racing when my brother responds with a quick "Aha, It's just I need someone to look over these blue prints for the expansion and Stefan isn't picking up his phone. Wonderful! See you in 30 minutes!" Before hanging up the cell phone in his hands and placing it on the desk in front of him, grinning from ear to ear with an accomplished expression on his face.

"What the hell was that?" I ask him, watching as Damon smirks, cracking his knuckles and then with a smooth and calm tone he says "You and I, little brother. Are about to give Klaus a taste of his own medicine and he has no idea...you ready for it? I hope you parked in the back, so he can't see your car." Damon says, a dangerous look in his blue eyes as he looks around the room and speaks with a distant tone. "I hope that you..Because, I know I sure as hell am! Klaus deserves what he's about to get...And, you know what..I hope he brings that shit head of a brother with him too..The more the merrier, I like it when we team up!"

" Yeah, I did actually. It's not visible from the street. Damon, you're not thinking this through...What is beating him up going to solve? All it's going to do is anger Caroline and if she finds out that you and I ambushed her husband..There goes Elena and Caroline's friendship!" I tell him, watching as Damon shrugs his shoulders with a laugh, then responds with a vague answer.

"Oh, come on..Stefan. Klaus deserves to be shaken up. He acts all high and mighty. But, you and I both know that he's just as bad as that low life slim ball of a brother..those Mikaelson guys are assholes! It will show them not to mess with the Salvatore's!" Damon says, running his hands through his hair as I lock my eyes on him.

"Damon, what if he brings Kol...I don't know, as backup.." My voice trails off, watching as Damon gets up from his chair, walking over to me behind my desk and placing his hands on both of my shoulders.

"Well, Stefan...Let's hope that your wife fixed your hand...Because, your screwed if she didn't. Plus, You seem to forget..I taught you everything you know about kicking someone's ass...Tonight will be the test, to see if you've been listening to me all these years. Plus, don't tell me that you would allow him to get away with what he told Lillian...She's your daughter, Stefan..You're her dad and all your doing is protecting her, like you always have. Think about it this way, we're sending him a friendly message...to not fuck with us!" He comments, locking his eyes on me as he watches me nod. Damon's right, Klaus needs what's coming to him because he had no right in telling Lillian anything at all...He's probably overdue for an ass kicking anyways and if he brings Kol...I can finish off what I started in Rainer Valley.

* * *

** A/N: Damon & Stefan teaming up...Hm..There's bound to be some trouble! ;)**

**-Until Next Time!- **

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at:Green_Eyes1989**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey All! So sorry that I haven't update in a while..But, I've had really bad writers block! Anyways, Here's CH.16! Enjoy & Thanks for reading! **

* * *

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us- **

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I hear as Damon lets out a laugh. "Do you think they got our little message?" He asks, leaning against my desk as he looks down at the picture frame, a picture of Lillian in her soccer uniform, smiling brightly at the camera.

"I hope so, Damon. I'd hate to sit here all night long and have to explain to Elena and Lexi where we've been." I say. But, I stop myself from adding more too it when I hear a knock at the door and watch when Klaus walks into my office.

"Hello, boys! What's going on?" He says, walking into my office like he owns the damn place. I watch as Damon turns around in his seat, getting up to shut the door behind Klaus, but just when he does so a bat comes flying into the room and I have to duck my head from getting hit in the head with it, hearing as it smashes and breaks against the wall behind my head, shattering a picture.

"What the fuck!" I shout as Klaus walks over to me, pushing my head against the desk.

"Well, I know the tricks you have under sleeve and I had a feeling that you would bring reinforcements. Since, the last time I saw you..Remember, Stefan..We didn't end on very good terms..If I remember correctly, you threatened me..So, I'm just making sure that it doesn't happen again." He says in a threatening tone as I feel him release the pressure on my head and from the coroner of my eyes, I see when he looks over at Damon.

"Let him in. He won't hurt you, unless you say the wrong thing..My brother has a bit of a temper...He likes using objects to beat people up. Plus, we live in a world now, where we must protect ourselves." Klaus informs us as I watch Kol walk in, smirking at me, a bat in one hand, the smacking sound of the wooden baseball base is hitting against his palm, when he walks closer towards me. I instantly regret ever planning this out with Damon at all.

"Hello, darlings. Long time no see..How's the hand, Stefan?" Kol asks, his eyes glistening with hate as he pushes Damon out of the way and I watch my brother stumble back, catching himself off the wall behind him.

"I wasn't excepting you, Kol..All I wanted to do was talk to your brother about telling my daughter things that she shouldn't have even known or heard and talking about a somewhat sensitive subject, lying to Caroline. This has everything to do with Klaus. Not you, Kol." I inform him, watching Kol shut the door with his foot to my office and giving a knowing look to his brother.

"Relax, Stefan...I'm just here to even the score!" Kol says in a sinister tone, placing the tip of the bat onto my desk and hitting against it. My eyes lock on it as I hear Damon speak in a sudden uneasy tone, staring over at Klaus who's sitting in one of the extra chairs in my office.

"Oh come on..It's not like you thought about using that bat on us! It's your 'make us all shiver with fear' tactic!" He says in an annoyed tone. I lock my eyes on Damon briefly, hoping that he just shuts up. But, it all seems to happen too fast as I watch Kol pivot on his foot, his face turning red with anger, directed at Damon when he takes a swing at him, aiming for his kneecaps!

"Maybe not on Stefan...But, on you...I'd love to test it out!" Kol says, lifting the bat above his head and hovering over Damon who's on the floor, curled up like a small child, groaning with severe pain. I cringe when I hear it, the sound of the wood hitting against my brother's hand, there is no doubt in my mind that its broken as Damon shouts out in pain "You son of a bitch! This has nothing to do with me!"

" It doesn't? Oh,...Ha..My mistake, wrong Salvatore brother!" Kol tells him, kicking him in the stomach and then turning his attention to me. We both hear as Klaus laughs and encourages Kol to continue his beatings of us. For the first time in my life, I'm scared to death when I lock my eyes on him and watch as the bat goes flying towards me. Lucky, I quickly run out of the way, hearing as it breaks apart and I find myself crouched on the floor.

Klaus laughs even harder, getting up from his seat as he looks over at me and smiles widely. "What's wrong boys..Why aren't any of you fighting back? Stefan..I surely thought that you wanted to continue kicking Kol's ass, like you did in Rainer Valley." He says, a grin on his face as Kol looks over at me. I'm standing against the wall, my arms are over my chest, eyes darting from Kol, to Klaus and then to Damon who's nursing his wounds in the back corner of the room.

"Don't do it, Stefan..Please..He's might kill you!" Damon says in a worried tone, leaning over in pain as he holds onto his stomach.

Suddenly the urge to kick the Mikaelson's asses increases though, when Klaus gets up, standing in front of me and smiling widely as he speaks. "Not so tough now are you..Mr. Salvatore..Surely, I was hoping that you would put up a fight...Considering the one that you had in you when you beat the living shit out of my brother...Let's just say that I brought Kol along to..Well, make things interesting."

It angers me. These two guys walking into my place of ownership and making it seem like they own it. And, I really want to finish what I had done to Kol when Elena and I had visited him. But, I stop myself as I look up at them. Looking over at Damon who's finally gotten up off the floor and now sitting in a chair, hurt in his eyes as he nods at me.

"I know. I'd fight you..I'd fight both of you and I'd probably get a few good swings in. But, that won't solve anything at all. It would just make things worse for all of us. So, here's a proposition. All of us walk away from this in one piece..Well, except for my brother over there. But, I want you to do something for me, instead." I tell them, watching as Kol takes a seat, a smirk on his face as he lets out a laugh.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry about your brother than...I didn't know that this was going to be a friendly sit down...a chat." He comments, turning over to look at Damon who's just sitting there, looking like he either needs a large amount of alcohol or a really huge ice pack that would cover his whole body from the beatings that he's just received.

"Fine. So, what do you want from me?" Klaus asks, shrugging his shoulders back, a smile widening on his face.

"I want you to tell Caroline the truth..I want you to tell her that you and Kol are brothers and that Kol was the one who was responsible for killing her best friends sister." I tell him, watching as Klaus looks around, his eyes rolling in the back of his head as he pops his neck.

"Ha...That's it?" Klaus asks.

I nod at him, hearing as Damon scuffs and then he interrupts our conversation. "No, you moron! You still need to apologize to Lillian and get the fuck out of Caroline's life..Because, we both know that if you don't tell her the truth..Someone else will and..She's going to kick you to the curb anyways!"

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I'm sick with worry. Scarlett's asleep against my chest in our bedroom and I can't sleep. It's late and Stefan still hasn't called me at all to tell me where he is or even when to be excepting him home.

I feel as Scarlett stirs and lets out a loud sigh, she's been up for most of the night with a small low grade fever and I'm thankful that this time, she's finally asleep. But, I can't stop worrying about my husband.

So, I slowly get both of us up, swinging my legs over the bed and looking around the room for my cell phone. No missed calls. No voice mails at all either.

I hate this. Hate that Stefan still thinks he can go out and kick someone's ass without thinking anything through. But, as I walk around the room, placing Scarlett back into her crib. I remember his words from earlier... _"That son of a bitch! He's been screwing with her! I swear, I'm done with him, Elena! I am beyond down with him!"_

Suddenly, it all makes sense...Caroline, this whole this has to do with Klaus lying to Caroline!

I find myself fumbling with the contacts in my phone, finally reaching her number and nervously placing the phone to my ear. He voice is filled with sleepiness when she answers, but I can't control my rambling mouth as I hear Caroline yawn.

"Hey, Care! I'm sorry to be calling this late. But, Is Klaus home with you?" I ask her, hearing as she exhales.

"No, Elena..What's going on?" Caroline asks me in a worried tone as I run my hands through my hair and I feel a quick shiver increase through me.

"Get dressed! I'll be there in a few minutes to explain what's going on." I tell her, hearing as Caroline lets out a laugh.

"Elena, you are scaring me! Just tell me over the phone..Please, what the hell is going on!" She shouts as I push the cell phone away from my face and suddenly, the words are flowing out in no order at all.

"Klaus and Kol are brothers! Damon and Stefan..went to go have a chat with them. But, what I'm really thinking is that they're trying to settle the score." I tell her.

Caroline's quiet for a long time. Too quiet and all I can hear is her breathing. But then suddenly she speaks in a shocked tone of voice. "What? But, Kol killed Katherine...That means that Klaus has been lying to me!" Caroline comments as I sigh out a breath. I know that I shouldn't have called her, I didn't want too. But, it's better that she knows, that she can prepare herself for when she comes face to face with Klaus tonight after they get home from whatever it is that they're doing with Damon and Stefan.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**Please let me know what you all think! **

**Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989**

**-Until Next Time!-**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hey All! Thanks so much for the reviews :) Here's CH.17! Let's just say that things get very..uhh..complicated! :) Also, I added another P.O.V. as well, to change things up a bit in the story..I might add more in to..maybe. **

**Enjoy & Thanks for reading! **

**Please let me know what you all think & follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989**

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us- **

**Caroline's P.O.V. **

I can't stand to look at him, the moment he saunters into the apartment like it's not that big of a deal that he's home. I find myself throwing my brand new high heels at him, directly at his head, watching as Klaus ducks behind one of the banisters in our apartment, chuckling as he says "Bad day, love?"

"You son of a bitch! Fucking asshole, you lied to me! How could you, Klaus! I loved you so damn much and I trusted you!" I bellow, anger rising in my voice and my hands are shaking as I throw the empty box at him too.

"Honey, will you calm down, so that we can talk about this?" He asks, lifting up his hands in defeat as I glare at him, my hands on my hips, leaning on one foot.

"I hate you and I want you gone. Elena told me what you did, you and your asshole of a brother..apparently being assholes runs in the Mikealson family! I want a divorce!" I tell him, watching as he gets up from behind the kitchen counter now, where he's been hiding for the past few minutes since I throw the empty box at his head.

"Elena Salvatore? Of course she did. What lies is she filling in your head?" Klaus asks me as I scuff at him.

"Lies? Ha, that's funny..Because, I could ask you the same question. I'm done, Klaus! I want you gone!" I shout again, watching as Klaus finally steps into the living room, placing his hands in his pockets when he looks over at me.

"It's my apartment, Caroline. I got this for us, it's in my name." He says, giving me a weak smile as I roll my eyes at him, turning to leave the room but his hand on my arm stops me from leaving, leaning into me and whispering into my ear.

"Don't believe a word that Elena Salvatore says. She has no idea what she's talking about, I didn't kill her sister, Katherine. Love, We were only trying to help her." Klaus whispers against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine as I gasp at his words.

"You may have not killed her physically. But, you are just as guilty as Kol is. He supplied Katherine with the drugs and the both of you made her believe that she needed them. So, as far as I'm concerned, you're just as guilty as he is. Now, let me go!" I tell him, gritting my teeth as I feel his hand let go and then I straighten myself out when I turn to lock my eyes on him.

"Fine, then I'll leave. But, Once I walk out that door. I will not be coming back, ever. And, this whole scam of a marriage is over! I'm sorry, Klaus. But, I don't deal well with back stabbing liars, especially when they turn out to be my husband. Don't call me, I'll call you, when the divorce is finalized!" I tell him, watching as he looks down at his feet, a huffed out breath moving past his lips as he looks over at me.

"Don't leave, Caroline. I love you, I'm sorry, darling!" Klaus says, his voice broken and tormented as I lock my eyes on him, tears welling up when I speak. "I know and I loved you too. But, sometimes, love just isn't enough."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

My speech and singing to Scarlett all catch into my throat when I hear the door downstairs unlock and I hear him groaning, talking to Damon as he does in a low voice. I quickly grab one of my sweat shirts, pulling it over my head, speed walking down the stairs when I look up and see them.

Stefan's hand is around Damon's waistline, holding him up as Damon groans out in pain, blood on his face and his hands are tightly holding onto his stomach.

"What happened!" I exclaim, closing the front door behind them as Stefan helps Damon to the couch, his brother filling the once silent house with wailing cries as Stefan looks over at me and says "I'll explain, everything. Just, call Lexi over here now and tell her not to bring Gracie, I don't want her seeing her dad like this!" He adds, getting up from the coffee table and walking over to the kitchen, grabbing onto my hand and giving me a reassuring look as he says in a soft tone. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

* * *

Stefan and Damon are in the living room, Stefan's finally gotten him to stop his wailing cries of pain as I sit on the steps of the stairs, near the front door. Waiting on a panicked Lexi to show up. But, as I sit there, I watch when Stefan walks over to me, a weak and exhausted smile on his face as he says "We met up with Klaus and Kol tonight. I know, you told me not too. But, Elena..I needed too. Well, they went after Damon, obviously. He'll be fine though. Bruised, but fine." He tells me, holding out his hands towards me and exhaling deeply as I nod at him, tears in my eyes when I get up and hug him tightly, inhaling and exhaling slowly against his neck.

"You scared the hell out of me! Please, Stefan..I don't want anything to happen to you or to any of the ones that I love. We've already lost so much." I tell him, my voice cracking on my own words as he wraps his arms around me too and exhales deeply, whispering into my ear that everything will be just fine, once we fix this whole Klaus and Kol dilemma.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I don't want to tell her that things might get worse. So, I lie to her. I don't want Elena to worry more than she needs too. She's already been through so much and this won't make things easier. But, all I know is that we need to get rid of Klaus and Kol for good. I know that it would be hurting Caroline in the process because Klaus is her husband and she's fiercely loyal to him. But, this needs to be put to a stop, all of it. So, that we can go back to living like we used to, all of us in our happy and somewhat worry free lives.

Yet, I know that it's a slim chance that when Klaus and Kol are put in their place that things will totally go back to normal. But, we have to try because to be honest, I'm sick and tired of all the things that have been going on and I can tell that what Klaus said to Lillian is effecting her and as much as I want to talk to her about it. She's just like me, she keeps it all inside until she just explodes from anger. And, I hate it. I want to get through to her, to know what she'll be okay with everything so that Elena and I can finally sit down and tell Lillian all the good things of who Katherine was, because at this point, it needs to be done and I don't want the image of Katherine loving Lillian, like she did when she was a baby to be tarnished by Klaus or anyone else, anymore.

I let go of Elena and watch her wipe away her tears as she places her hands on my chest and smiles a tired smile at me. "Lexi will be here in a few minutes, she's really pissed that you guys went behind our backs and thought that you could solve this little problem, alone. Because, clearly...neither of you could. Stefan, we're not in our 20's anymore! You have a family to worry about, you can't just go off like a damn badass!" She says in an annoyed tone as I smirk at her.

"Come on. I didn't get hurt. Honey, my hand is fine..But, you know..Kol did almost hit me in the head with a bat..I could use some checking out." I tell her with a wink, watching as she scuffs at my words, rolling her eyes when she brushes past me and says "Nice try, tough guy..But, next time it could be a lot worse and a sprained hand from the Mikaelson brother's will be the last of our worries!"

"Oh come on! Baby, he could have put me in a coma! A bat flew at my head." I tell her, hearing as Elena laughs and pivots on her heels, locking her gaze upon me when she says "Well, it wouldn't have happened if you didn't go and try to be a badass, Stefan! I kind of think he should have hit you! Could have knocked some sense into that thick skull of yours, think before you act!" She says, a laugh escaping past her lips as he turns to go upstairs and I grab hold of her arm, pulling her back against me and lean in to kiss her neck, whispering against her ear. "Oh, we'll see about that...You and me..Later..You won't be wishing that he knocked me out, when I'm done with you and-" I start to say. But the frantic knocks at the front door stop my seductive tone as I let go of Elena's arm and she turns to continue to walk up the stairs. But, stops mid way when I open the door and they both nearly come charging at me.

"Where the hell is he, My dumbass, ninja of a husband..Where is he?" Lexi shouts, followed inside the house by a very pissed off and clearly slightly liquored up Caroline.

"Caroline?" I question her name, watching as she holds herself against the door frame of the door and hiccups in my face when she says " I fucking hate him, Stefan! So, I left him..But, I did leave my really expensive shoes that I threw at his ugly face in the apartment..Damn it! Oh, Hi Elena!" Caroline comments, stumbling towards me as I catch her in my arms, looking up at Elena with a confused expression on my face when Elena shrugs her shoulders at me and mouths "What the hell is going on?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey all! So, Here's CH.18! :) Hope you all like it. Thanks for reading & enjoy!**

**Please let me know what you all think. **

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN-The Ties That Bind Us- **

**Elena's P.O.V.**

Caroline's heartbroken and it's written all over her face. I can see it as she leans her head onto my shoulder and cries. "Elena, I hate it! He lied to me..I left the apartment..Now, where the hell am I even supposed to go? I don't have a husband. I-" Caroline whines, smothering her face into my shoulder and holding onto me for dear life as we sit on the bed in the guest room together and I hold her shaking and crying body.

"Oh honey. Caroline, as much as I want to blame Klaus for this. He's not the one I'm that pissed off at. Because, to be honest.. It's Kol who has caused every single problem that any of us has had." I tell her, hearing as she sniffles, wiping away her tears with her pink colored fingernails and sighing as she looks up at me, her mascara is smeared, her light colored lipstick is smeared onto my shirt and when I look down, I can notice a few tear marks.

"I'm sorry. I can't..I don't want to see him! He lied to me, Elena. I spent four years loving him and being so damn truthful to him. We were good together, until he went and fucked everything up! He's guilty. Just like Kol is!" Caroline mumbles, exhaling once more as I watch her head fall back onto my shoulder.

" I know that you're mad at him and that he kept this huge secret from you and that it feels like you can't overlook it now. But, you need to be calm and you need to hear Klaus out. I just- I think that Kol is the one who's guilty here. I mean, Klaus is as well. But, maybe he had a reason for keeping this from you. Maybe Klaus didn't want to bring Kol back into your lives because he had a reason behind it. I mean, I'm pissed off at Klaus for what he told my daughter because he had no right to say those things. But, we all have secrets...Some are more harsher than others. Although, once they're exposed, sometimes they can be forgiven."

"Ha! This can't be Elena. Maybe one day it can be. But, not now! Why are you sounding like you're on Klaus's side on this. You should be furious with him! " Caroline retorts with a shrug of her shoulders, groaning when she lays down and puts her head back on the pillows behind us.

" I am. I'm pissed off at him and I don't think that I'll ever get over what he told Lillian. But, I want to help you save your marriage. Plus, you'd be surprised of what telling the truth and finally revealing secrets and how you truly feel can do. You know that Stefan and I probably wouldn't be here right now and have Scarlett at all if I wouldn't have tried to get to him forgive me in Portland all those years ago." I tell her, hearing her voice catch in her throat.

"What? I thought that you two were fine when you went to Portland...for Damon and Lexi's wedding, the two times that you guys went there." She comments, looking up at the ceiling and turning her head to watch me lay down beside her, crossing my hands over my chest as I spin my wedding ring around my finger and exhale, thinking about the elevator ride and Stefan and I yelling at each other at the Hilton. The night that I had told him why Katherine never really had confessed the truth about Lillian, because she had been seeing Kol on the side.

"Well, not the first time. It was disaster! I got wasted and ended up crying , babbling all about how sorry I was, that I never told him! I hadn't told Stefan about Katherine cheating on him and who knows if he would have ever known about it. If I wasn't a rambling idiot that night. He got really mad at me and told me that I should have been honest with him. So, all I'm saying is that you need to have Klaus be honest with you..For all you know, Caroline. Maybe he was trying to protect you from getting hurt by Kol." I tell her, hearing as she huffs out a breath and rolls over towards me, placing her hands under her head and locking her eyes on me as she speaks.

"Ha! Protecting me? Yeah, sure. Look, at the moment. He and I are done! So, if he does decide to come here and apologize to me for being an asshole and a liar. Then, maybe I'll reconsider. However, until then. I'm going to sit here and be disappointed that Stefan and Damon didn't kick his ass! Although, Elena. I'm happy that you and Stefan were able to work things out..Because, I envy the love that you two share. You got the perfect life, Elena. You're very lucky to have him, he loves you more than you will ever know." Caroline says, her eyelids starting to flutter close as I get up from the bed slowly, leaning into Caroline and leaving a kiss on her cheek and then pull a blanket over her, pivoting my feet to walk out of the room and closing the door behind me.

* * *

**Lexi's P.O.V. **

"What the hell were you even thinking! Damon, you could have gotten yourself killed. Do you even realize that! Did you even think about me and Gracie for one damn minute? She could have been left fatherless and crying everyday over you because you and your idiot brother thought the two of you, alone would be able to beat up Kol! Klaus's very big and very destructive, drug addict, criminal brother! I swear to God Damon! Do you even think sometimes at all?" I shout at him, hearing as he groans and shakes his head, holding his temples and rubbing them, waiting a few minutes before he responds.

"I'm sorry baby. I didn't mean to fight with him. It was Stefan's idea." Damon says, watching as I stomp my foot, turning my heels and nearly shouting out Stefan's name. We both watch as he comes around the corner and looks up at us, his smiling fading when I glare at him.

"Was this your idea? To get Damon all beat up? Huh...Because, if it was...I can't wait to tell your wife! She's going to kick your asses out and you'll both be sleeping in the tree house that you two built for Gracie and Lillian!" I shout at him, placing my hands on my hips and exhaling a deep breath as Stefan shifts on his feet nervously.

"Uh...I can explain. It was both of ours. Look, Lexi...Klaus said some stuff to Lillian and I got really pissed. Plus, he was lying to Caroline and that's why Caroline is here right now, upstairs..Sleeping off a slight hang over." He explains as I roll my eyes at him, glaring at Damon and then scuffing as Stefan takes a few steps towards me.

"Stefan! Oh, you're just a fucking genius! You two think that you're true crime fighters..fighting crimes! What the hell is wrong with you and Damon, were you guys raised by wolves! You can't go around and beat up everyone who says mean things about you or about someone you love. No wonder your daughter was suspended from middle school for beating up some kid! Ha, and it's funny because my moron of a husband is an influence for her behavior..I guess the apples doesn't fall far from the tree in this family!"

"Oh and by the way, Stefan. I'm leaving your brother here for the night. Have fun with him, in the doghouse!" I tell him, grabbing my purse and glaring at both of them as I hear Damon's voice try to stop me from leaving.

"Lexi! Sweetie, wait! Please, don't leave me here..I need you." He says in a begging tone as I grab my things, walking over to the door and inhaling deeply when I place my hand on the doorknob, locking my eyes on Damon from a distance. "Well, sweetheart. You should have thought about that before you went out and got your ass kicked by the Mikealson's. Stefan, make sure to drop him off at the house in the morning. Oh and good luck with Elena..Hope you won't be sleeping on the couch too."

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

The slamming of the front door from Lexi's angry exit must have woken her up because when I look over at the stairs, I catch a glimpse of Lillian. Her hair is in disarray from sleeping, eyes still lightly closed as she asks me in a groggy tone. "Dad, what's going on? Why's aunt Lexi screaming?"

"Honey, go back to sleep. It's nothing, just adult stuff. It'll be fine." I tell her watching as Elena gives me a glance, pointing her finger at me and then pointing it to herself, indicating to me that her and I will definitely need to talk later, about the things that I'm sure she had overhead Lexi yell out at Damon.

I watch as she leans forward, gently pulling Lillian into a hug and kissing her forehead as she whispers for her to go back to sleep and that she would talk to her in the morning about everything. Neither of us say a word as Lillian nods and then goes back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her as we hear her tell us both to have a good night.

But, even from a distance I can tell that Elena isn't pleased that Damon's sleeping on our couch, that Caroline is slightly drunk and nursing her wounds, in the guest room and that Lillian woke up from the shouting match that was going on downstairs. Her arms are crossed over each other, head tilted to the side as she locks her eyes on me and in an angered tone she says " Make sure that Damon is asleep and then, you and I have to talk about this...Now!" Elena comments, turning away from me just as she hears Scarlett let out a wailing cry and I know that in a little while after our talk. Lexi's words will ring true just from the tone in my wife's voice and in the way she looks at me, I know that I'll be joining my older brother downstairs on the couch tonight.

* * *

**A/N: Okay..So, We all know why Lexi is angry with Damon..But her just leaving him at Stefan and Elena's..She's really mad! And Elena trying to fix Caroline & Klaus's marriage by telling her that they should just talk it out..! Woah! :) Oh and Elena being pissed off at Stefan for the whole meeting with the Mikaelson brothers...uh ohh, I have a feeling that Elena is going to rip into Stefan just like Lexi did to Damon!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates: Green_Eyes1989 **

**-Until Next Time!-**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey all! So, here's CH.19! Hope you all like it! Thanks for reading & enjoy!**

**Follow me on Twitter for updates at: Green_Eyes1989 **

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN-The Ties That Bind Us **

**Lillian's P.O.V. **

I know that he was just trying to protect me from Klaus's harsh words. But, in the process of it all..Dad really screwed things up with mom. She's been fuming since I got up this morning and shook Uncle Damon and dad awake from their 'mini slumber' party in the downstairs living room.

I watch as Aunt Lexi rolls her eyes at him and asks Gracie if she needs anything from the grocery store.

"No. I think that Lily and I are good!" She comments, turning towards me and pointing to our fathers who haven't spoken to either of our moms in the last few hours.

"So, mom..Is dad still giving you the cold shoulder for ripping him a new a-" Gracie begins to say, suddenly I watch her freeze in place, a plate of toast and scrambled eggs in her hands as she looks over and see's uncle Damon glaring at her, a stern tone in his voice as he speaks.

"Grace Elizabeth Salvatore! Don't you dare use that sort of language in your aunt's home!" He says, watching as Gracie lets out a huffed out breath and sits down next to me at the dining room table, a giggle escaping past her lips when she looks over at me and we both smile.

"Dad, get over it! Mom was pissed off at you last night and she told you how it is. Stop being so bitter and resentful for having to sleep on the couch. Hey, at least you weren't alone...Uncle Stefan was in the dog house too!" She says, tilting her head to the side to look at the both of them.

I turn in my chair as well, looking over at dad who looks completely and utterly exhausted and guilty. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him. But, it quickly all fades when mom's footsteps are heard, ascending down from the stairs and she gives everyone a sweet glance, except for the guys in the room.

"Good morning..Beautiful family. Sleep well?" She asks, turning on her heels and giving a very degrading look towards the two brothers.

"Sleep just like a shitty husband would when his wife kicks him out of their bed. So, if you're asking without the snarky tone. I slept like crap! But, thanks for the concern, honey." He comments, locking his eyes on her and waiting for her to say more.

But, just when she opens her mouth to retaliate. Aunt Lexi chimes in and says "Well, that's good to know. Come on girls, eat up and then we'll be spending the weekend together. The five of us. You, me, Aunt Caroline, Lillian and your Aunt Elena. " She says, glancing over at mom and nodding at her.

"But, mom. What about school? I mean, it's Friday and I-" Gracie starts to whine as I nudge her shoulder, hoping that she'll just shut up!

"Aha...you know what. We don't have any tests. So, sure..What Gracie means is...We can't wait to go!" I correct my cousin, feeling her kick my leg under the table when she rolls her eyes at me.

"Well, good then. Because, your aunt Elena, aunt Caroline and I are going to a spa and the two of you can swim at the resorts pool." Lexi says, a huge grin on her face as she purposefully says it even louder and watches with a prideful glance when both Dad and uncle Damon true around and in unison say "Resort! What the hell? You five are going away for the weekend without us?"

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

I don't blame her for being pissed. Because to be perfectly clear, I deserved it. I mean, I know that I shouldn't have done what I did and all. But come on, I'm irritated. How long is this little push/pull game that Elena's created between us going to last.

So as I hear Lexi tell Damon and I that they are planning on a mini vacation out of Seattle for the weekend without us. My brain is trying hard to figure out how Damon and I can fix this shit with our wives and make it up to them.

"What are we supposed to do? What about Scarlett..Elena?" I ask, my voice catching in my throat as I give her a confused look, watching from over the couch, looking into the kitchen as she pours herself a cup of coffee and smiles. "Well, sweetheart..She'll be fine with her father for a few days..It should bring back a lot of memories for you...remember when you baby sat Lillian?" Elena comments, sitting down at the dining room table and smiling up at me with icy and distant brown eyes.

"Come on, Elena! I already said that I was sorry..." My voice trails off, sounding desperate and almost as if I'm begging for her forgiveness as I hear Elena laugh a bit. Getting up from her seat as she says "I know..Baby. But, being alone with Damon and Scarlett will help. You know what they say...Distance makes the heart grow fonder." She comments, leaning back into her chair and sipping on her coffee, smiling at me widely as if she's won a million dollars.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I can't wait to get away for a while. I need it. Crave it, to be alone and away from all this drama! I mean, maybe it's wrong of me to want to just have a little time away. But, I could care less at this point. I'm pissed off at Stefan and I just think that a few days out and away from home will make me reevaluate things and make him realize that he can't always protect us from everything!

I watch as he gets up from the couch, hair a mess, his clothing in disarray as he walks into the kitchen, purposely walking behind me before he heads into the kitchen fully to get something to eat. "Let's talk." Stefan says, his voice against my ear, sending shivers down my spine as I nod. He watches me get up from the dining table and look over at him, walking up the stairs, giving him one more glance.

* * *

"Don't go..Elena. Please, we need to figure this out!" Stefan says, walking into our bedroom, locking the door behind him and watching as I place my empty bag onto the bed, starting to pack. My back is turned away from him and I'm trying to ignore him as he walks to me, tells me that he's sorry for trying to be the tough guy and that I was right, he should have been more careful and responsible.

"You seem to forget that before we got married, that when I was taking care of Lillian...By myself! I was fine without any help, I was independent and-" I begin to say, hearing as he lets out a laugh and sits on the bed, grabbing my wrist with his hands, stopping my movements so that I lock my eyes on him.

"Elena, when I met you..At the funeral and then later on at the apartment. Baby, you were a mess! Remember how you basically begged me to give you the job at the bar and grill." He comments, smirking when I pull my hand away from him, locking my eyes on him as I raise my eyebrows at him.

"I did not! I was fine. You know, I didn't even need the job." I tell him, trying to play it off like it doesn't even matter. Plus, this has nothing to do with me..and everything to do with the fact that Stefan went after Klaus and Kol...with DAMON and they almost got themselves killed in the process!

"This has nothing to do with me and you! But, it does have everything to do with the fact that you and your brother went after Caroline's husband! Look, Stefan..I know that Kol is guilty for what he's done. But, I've come to accept that he's probably never going to jail for what he did to me, to my family and you. Kol's actions changed our whole lives and because of it, I hate him! I hate everything that he's done and that he's taken away from us. And, I know that I did hate Klaus for a while too. But. he's not the real problem here, Kol is!" I explain, pausing to breathe and look away from Stefan, throwing in one of my perfumes and a few different t-shirts as I hear him exhale deeply.

"Okay, I get it. But what if I told you that I made an agreement with Klaus." Stefan comments suddenly, stopping all of my actions with his confession.

"You did what?" I ask, disbelief in my voice as Stefan locks his eyes on my face, leaning forward and grabbing my hand into his own, running his thumbs across the top of my skin.

"I told Klaus to leave Caroline alone. That he needed to get out of her life and also apologize to Lillian for what he said in front of her." Stefan comments, getting my attention when he squeezes my hand and smiles at me widely.

"That's not going to work, Stefan. He's going to come back and try to get Caroline back. Mark my words, as much as she hates him right now for lying. They would never last for long, being separated..it just doesn't work..You and I should now, of all people..You and I should know that being away from the one you love like that, doesn't work!" I tell him, hearing as he laughs a bit, a lingering smile is on his face when he looks at me.

"I know..Because, I feel like him at the moment. I'm sorry, Elena. I just..I was-" He starts to say as I look at him, my cool hands are now on each side of his face when he watches me for a moment and I smile.

"Don't feel like him...Klaus screwed up way more than you did. I mean, you screwed too. But, the difference between you and me, Klaus and Caroline is that your very good at apologizing to me." I tell him, feeling as his hand rests on the middle of my back,pulling me towards him.

I feel myself falling on top of Stefan as he kisses my neck, franticly leaving kisses against my skin and murmuring how good I smell. "God, how did I get so lucky with you?" He asks in between breathes, his hands pulling my shirt over my head as I pull back from him, my hands caressing his face when he kisses my palms and lowers his head back onto the mattress, hands firmly gripping my hips when I straddle his body.

"Stefan..You asked me if I was Katherine's twin..That was how you got lucky with me, the first time." I breathe out, my voice catching in my throat as he continues leaving hot and frantic kisses on my now overheated skin. His green eyes widen when I lean down into him, capturing his lips against mine, biting down on his lower lip when he groans at my touch, my hands wrapping around his neck as he flips us over and I smile against him, breaking apart to see his eager facial expression.

"Stay here. Screw the girls weekend..You and I could have a lot more fun..Like we used to before we became parents." He says, his warm touch grazing against my stomach. But he frowns a bit when I pull his hand back to be on my shoulder, leaning into him and kissing his lips as I fall back and look up at him, through lust filled eyes.

"Sounds tempting..Really does. But, I'm still kind of pissed off at you!" I tell him, shoving Stefan off of me and hearing when he scuffs at my words, an annoyance in his tone when he speaks.

"What? Then what the hell was that?" He asks, straightening his shirt as he watches me fix mine as well, turning back towards my bag and giving him a slight smile.

"That was me being a tease and showing you that you can't just play around with people and except to get what you want. I love you, Stefan. I always have and I always will. But, you and Damon need to fix this rift that's happened between Caroline and Klaus. Tell him to turn his own brother him! Tell him that Kol's the problem here, not him." I say, my hands on my hips as Stefan shakes his head, a disappointed facial expression lurking on his face when he looks at me.

"It's not that easy, Elena. Their brothers! It would be like if I turned in Damon for a crime that he committed." He tells me, looking past me and to the bedroom door.

"People do it all the time, Stefan. Kol Mikealson has caused everyone we know, pain and heartache and problems! He needs to be stopped and the only person who can stop him is Klaus. Maybe even by doing so, he would even redeem himself for what he did to Caroline. Because, let's face, she hates him now. But, deep down, she loves him and couldn't imagine ever being without him." I comment, watching Stefan get up from the bed in a sudden quick motion, kissing my cheek as he leans into me and says "Fine, I'll talk to Klaus and see what we can do. But, there is no guarantee that he'll just rat out his brother and that it will solve all of our problems. Have fun this weekend, call me or text me when you get there..safely." He says, kissing me once more and beginning to make his way out of the bedroom.

"And, Elena..I love you, even when we're fighting, it's going to make the makeup between us...a lot more fun." He says with a wink. As I smile at him, telling him to not get his hopes up.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

It's been 4 hours since they left. Leaving Damon, Scarlett and I, alone in the house.

I watch as Damon rocks Scarlett back and forth, trying to get her to stop crying, giving up as my daughter continues her wailing cries against his ears.

"Why won't she just stop! Please, baby girl...Stop...crying!" Damon begs her, pleading and helplessness in his voice as I smile at him, taking her from his arms and soothing her cries by patting her back, making small circles against her cotton t-shirt.

"Sh..It's okay." I comment, more to myself than to Scarlett, watching carefully when she leans her head against my shoulder and her sobs slowly start to dissipate.

"How did you-" Damon begins to ask, exhaling a heavy breath when he sits down on the couch and looks over at me, walking around and bouncing my daughter in my arms.

"She gets fussy sometimes and I've seen Elena do that a lot." I tell him. Damon rubs his face with his hands, leaning back into the couch when he asks "Why did you and Elena have Scarlett so late after you guys got married?"

"We tried after her. But, Elena couldn't get pregnant. So we just gave up. I mean, I wish we had a son. But, you know..I'm good with two girls. What about you and Lexi?" I ask him, watching as he slings his hand over the back of the couch and laughs a bit.

"She wanted Gracie to be an only child. Just like her. Plus, she likes spoiling our daughter to ridiculous levels and I guess it works. They're best friends and Gracie tells Lexi and me almost everything. You know, I kind of wish we would have more kids, though But, just like you little brother, I'm good with having a girl. Their good kids and smart girls, they take after their beautiful mothers." Damon comments as I smile at him, bouncing Scarlett in my arms, turning towards the kitchen to go and get her now warmed up bottle.

"So-" I begin to say, still bouncing Scarlett in my arms as she giggles at me, trying to touch my face. But, I stop her, instead leaving a small kiss on her hands. I try to continue what I want to say, but a sudden knock at the door stops me from speaking, when I turn towards Damon.

"Can you get that Damon?" I ask him, hearing as he groans and gets up, running to the door.

"Hey, did you girls forget something I mean..." His voice trails off, as he opens the door. Then, I hear him groan even louder as the door swings open wider and our visitor, shouts in his annoyed and British accent. "Caroline, darling..this isn't funny anymore..Come home sweetheart. Let's talk about this!"

"Well, hello to you too! Blondie isn't here at the moment. But, if you've come to kick my ass again..I'm ready for you!" Damon says, putting up his hands in front of him, balling them up into fists and pushing Klaus's shoulder, watching as Klaus walks past him, shutting the door and rolling his eyes.

"I'm not here to fight you, Damon. I just want my wife back!" Klaus says, walking into the living room and making himself comfortable as he looks over at me and asks "So, where is she?"

* * *

**A/N: So, Klaus showing up to get Caroline..do you all think that he's there to apologize and will Stefan ask him to turn his own brother in? **

**-Until Next Time!- Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hey all! So, Here's CH.20...There are a few surprises in this chapter! :) Enjoy & Thanks for reading! **

**Follow me for updates on Twitter at: Be_Passionate24**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-The Ties That Bind Us-**

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I feel like I've been waiting in the lobby for hours as Caroline comes strolling in, a huge tote bag in her arms as she smiles at me and places it down next to me. "Oh Thank God...We're here! I am so happy to just get away! So, How are you..Mrs. Salvatore?"

"Good. But, waiting for you and Lexi has given me some time to think..Caroline, I was wrong about Klaus..I don't think that you two will survive this..I mean, he's been lying to you for 4 years...I just..I said all that stuff before about how I think you two should work it out because I would hate to see you hurt. But, staying with him would be worse." I comment, watching as Caroline sits down next to me with a huff, grabbing my hand into hers when she nods.

"Elena..I'm divorcing him when I get back. I know, I said I hated him the other night. But, it's because I do. What Klaus did to me and to everyone that I love, I won't be able to forgive him for that. So, I'm set on it. Once we get home to Seattle. I'm getting a lawyer and I'm terminating our marriage, saying that we had irreconcilable differences." She states in a firm tone as I grip onto her hand and lean my head against hers.

"Okay..But, Caroline I want you to know that whatever you decide to do. I'll be here for you. And, when it gets rough..I'll be here to help you pick up the pieces. Just like you were there for me when I was going through all that drama with Katherine and then the whole Stefan thing..You showed me that it was okay to love and to mourn." I say, hearing as Caroline exhales and leans her head against mine, just nodding.

"Aww. You two are soo adorable! Now, chop chop..We've got facials in about an hour and that will give us enough time to go swimming before." Lexi says, appearing from behind us as Caroline and I turn around to look at her.

"Where are the girls?" I ask, watching as Lexi smiles at me, placing her hands on my shoulders as she speaks. "They took off down to the pool with magazines and their cell phones. Lillian told me to tell you that she'll let you know if Stefan calls. Since you two can't be away from each other for more than just one night." Lexi says as I stand up suddenly, staring at Lexi and watching her give me a confused look.

"What is it? Elena.." Her voice trails off as I run my hands through my hair and sigh.

"You gave my daughter _my_ cell phone..Lexi!" I shout, watching as Lexi's facial expression changes from happiness to total horror.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry..I forgot about that thing that you and Stefan do when you're not together for a few days..Dirty test messages and that you two act like newlyweds when you're apart from one another..I am-" Lexi starts to say as I sternly tell her to go get my cell phone and give Lillian my ipod instead.

"Tell her that I need to have it with me and just give her the ipod. She'll understand..Plus, I bet you that all those two are doing is chatting on Facebook with these guys from school." I tell her, watching as Lexi laughs and turns to look at me. "Oh yeah, totally not what we used to do when we were their age or still do today..But you know, instead of Facebook for chatting..We use our assets to get their attention!"

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

"Where is she..hmm?" Klaus asks, leaning further into the sofa cushions, making me want to smack the smirk on his face and send him flying through the glass window of my house.

"Caroline isn't here. Now, I suggest that you leave. Now." I tell him, handing Scarlett over to Damon and telling him to go and take my daughter upstairs, get her ready for a nap.

"Oh, come on..Stefan! I just came over here to collect my wife. Now, where could she have possibly gone?" Klaus asks, rubbing the tip of his chin with his fingertips, looking over at me with curious eyes.

"The girls went out for a weekend thing. Ha..Collect your wife? Caroline isn't a fucking trophy to be 'collected'. She is Elena's best friend and mine as well and I really do care about her and her well being. So, here's what I propose. You leave her alone. You turn in your brother. Say sorry to my daughter and you get the fuck out of Seattle. I don't care where you have to go...Just as long as I don't ever have to see your sickening face again." I tell him, stepping in front of him and gripping the collar of his shirt as Klaus eyes me up and down, staring down at my hand.

"Fine. Okay. But, When you see Caroline, you tell her that her husband is looking for her. Alright? Oh and Stefan, I suggest that you be careful..I could take out your pretty little family. Just like I did Katherine. You know, the last thing that she told me before she died was that she wanted her and her unborn baby to be happy. I guess, that didn't go over very well." He says, shoving me away from him as I glare at him, just about to charge at him at full speed, my blood is boiling at the thought of Katherine and Lillian even being near the Mikaelson brothers and that she had seen them both, just a few days before her untimely death.

But, just when I'm seriously about to consider sending Klaus flying through the large glass window of our house, probably killing him in the process and then going after his brother and finishing the job. Damon's voice stops me. "Stefan. Don't do it. He's not worth it. Let him go. But, know this Klaus.. If you and Kol don't leave town and leave our families alone. I will make you wish that you never laid eyes on any of us and your death will be way worth than what you did to Katherine. I will make sure that you suffer painfully!"

"I'll leave town. Once I get my wife. Then, your families will never see me or my brother again. You can all go back to living your blissful lives." Klaus informs us, getting up from the couch and brushing past me.

"Oh and Stefan..Tell your daughter that I'm sorry for calling it like it is. Yet, you know, Katherine was addicted to those drugs more than she loved her baby or you even. But, At least someone was being honest with her. Telling Lillian who her mother really was..a dumb bitch that was a drug addict and didn't give a damn about her own child. I mean, who sleeps around and then wakes up one morning and realizes that she didn't even know who the father was!" Klaus says, sending this surge of anger through my body that I can't hold back anymore as I pull my arm back, fists tightened as I punch his face, watching carefully when the force of it sends him tripping over an end table in the living room and falling onto the floor.

"You son of bitch! You're a liar! She loved that little girl and yes she may have not known who the dad was at the time. But, Katherine was a good mother. She was just lost and confused because of you and your fucking brother! I don't blame Katherine for wanting our daughter to know me. Lillian is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I blame you and Kol for taking Katherine away from her little girl too soon!" I yell at him, the anger inside of me reaches a boiling point when I watch Klaus try to get up from the floor and I kick him, straight in the stomach, pulling him up by his shirt so that he looks directly up at me, a small hint of fear in his eyes when I whisper into his ear, my own voice is unrecognizable to my own ears as I speak in a low and threatening tone.

"If you and your brother don't leave town tonight and if you don't give Caroline a new start without you. I swear to God that your death will be way more painful and agonizing than what you did to Katherine. I will make you suffer for everything that you have done. Starting with hurting my wife and my daughter...I hear that drowning is the most agonizing way to go..You suffer until it all goes dark." I tell him, shoving his body down onto the ground when I hear Klaus groan, wiping the blood from his face and watching as I shake my hand out, the pain throbbing and sending a numbness up and down my arm.

"Ha..I won't leave that easily. You should know that, Stefan. I have family here..Why would I leave. What's in it for me if I do leave? I mean, I already know what would happen if I stayed, Kol and I would be going to jail..But then again, I'm sure I could get out of going to jail too. You have no evidence to hold me or Kol." Klaus says in a bargaining tone, watching when I run my hands through my hair and rub my hand over my face.

"If you leave town. You'd get a fresh start and I won't press any charges against you. But, there is no way in hell that I am letting you take Caroline. She doesn't deserve you, Klaus. She never has..I actually never even liked the two of you together, now that I think about it...Because there was always someone else that I liked her with better." I tell him, watching as Klaus gets up from the floor, straightening his shirt, gazing over at me as I shrug my shoulders back and raise my eyebrows at him.

"Oh, isn't that so? Well, Caroline would never leave me. She loves me too much. So, if I go, She goes. Anyways, have a nice day boys." Klaus says, wiping away blood from his face with the bottom of his shirt as he turns to leave, glaring up at Damon before he gets to the door.

"She loves you? You've been lying to her for 4 years about you and your family! She doesn't love you, Klaus. She just settled for you because the other option, the one that she really loves..Well, he was taken at the time by someone else. So, leave town Klaus. Or you will regret it." Damon says, making his way down the stairs and glaring at Klaus who lets out a laugh, shaking his head and smiling at us when he opens the door, turning his back towards us as he says "Oh, I doubt that...Because, if she loved him so much..She would have never chosen me."

Damon and I stand by the door for a while, watching it shuts behind him when Klaus leaves. "I hate him, more and more. So, are you going to tell Elena that you broke that vase that I bought you both for a honeymoon present?" Damon says, pivoting on his heels as he pats me on the back and I give him a confused look, looking down at the floor and noticing the dark green vase, smashed into a million little pieces.

"Oh shit! She loved that ugly thing." I comment, hearing as Damon scuffs, bending down to pick up the glass.

"Ugly? This beautiful piece of art was over $500!" Damon chimes in, glaring at me as I laugh a bit, wiping the sweat from my face when Damon looks over at me and pats me on the back.

"I don't trust Klaus by the way. I don't think he'll leave just like that. I mean, I would love it if he just picked up and vanished without a trance, leaving us all alone. But, you know that he won't be leaving without Caroline. So, the only way for him to get the hint is if Caroline tells him to get lost first or she moves on, quickly." Damon says, staring up at me as I nod at him. Damon's right, Klaus won't leave until Caroline tells him to or unless she gets a nice little distraction at the resort tonight.

* * *

**Caroline's P.O.V. **

I watch as Gracie and Lillian pick at their food. Elena and Lexi have been laughing about something that I'm barely even listening to. I'm too relaxed after our facials and I'm lost in my own thoughts of what I need to do with Klaus when I get back home that I don't hear Elena gasp or even shake my shoulder as she says "Oh my god! Caroline, look who's here!"

"Huh...What?" I ask, shaking my head as my thoughts disappear for the time being and I turn my head to see what Elena and Lexi are staring at like they've just seen a ghost.

I turn around slowly in my chair, my hair's flowing over my shoulders as I lock my eyes on him. He still looks the same, that same athletic build, same dark brown hair that I used to run my hands through when I was dating him and Klaus at the same time, all those years ago. He's sitting alone, drinking a beer as I stare at him, not able to take my eyes off of him when I hear Elena lean forward and push my shoulder. "Go talk to him, Caroline!"

I turn back around, taking my mesmerized gaze off of him, blushing a bit as Elena smiles widely. "God, he's still hot..I always thought that he was..Even after you broke up with him and I'd see him at the bar and grill, just like he is now..sitting and drinking. Caroline, I think you should go catch up. I mean, it has been more than 4 years since you've seen him." Elena comments, instantly taking me back to the night that I had told him that I couldn't be with him anymore because I was falling in love with someone else, someone that I had thought that I loved and eventually married, Klaus.

"I don't know..What if he's here with someone? I mean..Come on..." My voice trails off, tightening at the thought of going over to his table and making myself look like a fool.

"He's divorced!" Lillian and Gracie comment, looking over at their mothers who both chime in as well "And, he works at the same school that Gracie and Lillian go to..He's the principal there!" Elena and Lexi both say in unison, gleefully smiling at me as I glare up at them and shake my head, exhaling deeply and fixing my hair before I get up slowly. Taking a few deep breathes by the time I make it to his table and telling myself that I have nothing to be nerves about!

My hands are shaking when he looks up from the menu in his hands and locks his eyes on me, a stunned facial expression on his face, speaking in an unsure tone as he looks me up and down and in a soft tone he says my name. "Caroline."

I look behind me, looking over at Elena and Lexi who are acting like they were never the ones who suggested any of this in the first place. Then as I turn my attention back to him, I hear as he clears his throat when I pull up a chair, sitting down in it slowly as I smile at him and speak in a sweet tone. "Hello Tyler. It's been a long time."

* * *

**A/N: Caroline and Tyler? Oh and anyone else think that Klaus will actually leave or will he just cause more trouble..especially if he finds out about Caroline's weekend with Tyler! **

**-Until Next Time!-**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Hey all, So I've decided that I will be bringing this story to a close soon..I think I will be writing two more chapters and then an epilogue for it. But, for now here's CH.21. Hope you all like it and thanks so much for reading! Enjoy! **

**Follow me on twitter for updates at: Be_Passionate24**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE-The Ties That Bind Us**

**Caroline's P.O.V. **

We've been sitting here, just Tyler and I for the last two hours..catching up about everything and to be totally honest. It feels nice to see him again, to laugh with him and just to be in his presence.

"So, a school principal? What happened to being a lawyer?" I ask him, watching as he places his glass down and smiles at me, shaking his head.

"Well, I decided that I wanted to work with kids and when I found out there was an opening. I wanted a change after Hayley left me." He states, sudden tension in his shoulders.

"You married Hayley?" I ask, my voice is stuck in my throat at my own question. It's not like I'm that shocked. But, I am taken back a bit because when I was dating Tyler. I knew about Hayley, they were best friends and she was actually the one who set he and I up on our first date.

"Yeah..But, it obviously didn't work out. I wanted kids and she didn't." Tyler says, looking down at his hands, clearing his throat as he glances over at my left hand and locks his eyes on my wedding ring.

"So, what about you Caroline..How are things with Klaus Mikealson?" Tyler asks, his voice low and curious as I smile in uncertainty and look up to see Tyler smiling back at me.

"We're in the process of getting a divorce..I mean, I haven't told him yet. But...I'm planning on telling him when I get back home." I state, watching quickly as Tyler's smile fade and he replaces it with one of disappointment.

"I..I'm sorry." He says quickly, watching me carefully when I lean forward, placing my hand on top of his, a strange sense of calm on my face as I say in a matter of fact tone. "Tyler, it's not your fault that I married someone I thought that I knew very well and he turned out to be a manipulative lying sack of shit."

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

I've been sitting by the pool, watching the sun go down as I lean into the patio chair, closing my eyes tightly, exhaling deeply and trying hard to relax when suddenly, my cell phone rings and I'm in total surprise at the name that flashes across the screen...Bonnie Bennett.

"So, I've officially decided that I want to come back home again. Elena, I hate it here and I miss you, your family and Caroline like crazy! How are my girls?" She asks, her tone is loud and high pitched as I push the cell phone away from me ear and laugh a bit.

"We're fine. Caroline and I are at a resort and you will never guess who she coincidentally ran into tonight." I tell her, hearing as Bonnie sighs.

"Oh...One of her exe's." Bonnie comments as I nod my head. She honestly has no idea that Caroline was dating Klaus and Tyler at the same time..Once upon a time...

"Yes. Tyler Lockwood." I state, hearing as Bonnie gasps and chuckles a little.

"You're kidding right? She broke up with Tyler because of Klaus and now she's leaving Klaus and going out to dinner with Tyler? Is she planning on hyphenating her last name again...Like Caroline-Forbes-Mikaelson-Lockwood..I mean, come on how many times can a girl get married and divorced?" Bonnie says, a sarcastic tone in her voice as I laugh. She's right...Caroline's always been in the most relationship's than any of us combined. But, still it doesn't mean anything that she's having dinner with her exe..that she may or may not still have lingering feelings for.

"Oh come on, Bonnie! She's not going to marry him. It's just dinner to take her mind off of all the shit that Klaus is putting her through." I tell her.

"Aha..Well, never say never Elena..You said you'd never been with Stefan and well...you have two kids with the guy and he treats like you a queen. So, you know. Never say never." Bonnie reminds me, a soft tone in her voice.

"Yea..Well. Look, Bonnie. Crap, I have another call on the other line. I got to go. But, come home soon and I love you!" I tell her, hearing as she tells me that she loves me too and that she'll be home when she can get the time to visit.

I click over to the other line, more likely expecting Caroline to be the other one on the line. But, once I hear his staggered breath and his husky, raspy voice on the phine. I know that it's my lonely husband.

"You promised that you wouldn't call..." My voice trails off as Stefan laughs into the phone.

"Well, you promised me that you wouldn't be sending me that picture of you in your bikini or that text message about you-..Ah, never mind.. But, you did it anyways. So, fair is fair. Speaking of being fair..Come home." Stefan states in a firm tone as I shake my head at his words. This is the longest since Scarlett was born that he and I have been apart. Three days..is the longest that we've been away from each other about I can tell from the eagerness in his voice that Stefan can't wait for me to get home.

"Stefan, I have tonight here and then I'll try to convince them to leave early. So, how is my baby doing?" I ask him, hearing as he chuckles a bit when he replies. "Me? I'm missing you like crazy...I'm going crazy without you here..Please sweetheart, come home." He says, making me let out a loud laugh.

"Not you silly. How's our daughter..Scarlett?" I remind him.

"Oh, Scarlett. Ha..She misses her mom...Because dad sucks at putting on diapers and she hates Damon...So...We kind of need you and Lexi to come back home as soon as possible before Damon and I scar our daughter for life. She keeps crying when she looks at Damon and she loves to be carried around by me. I mean, it was cute in the beginning. But, now, we're both exhausted!" Stefan says, a tired tone in his voice appearing with his words.

"Well, one more night and I'll be home. Look, just pat her back and sing to her..She likes the same things that Lillian used to like when she was a baby. It shouldn't be that hard. Just, sing to her. Anyways, I got to go check on the girls. I love you guys. We'll be home soon, I promise!" I tell him, hearing as Stefan scuffs when I hear Damon let out a laugh and a loud "You've got to be kidding me..We are not singing!"

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

Sing to her? Seriously?

Look, I love my daughter. I really do. But, I cross the line at singing to her...I had tried that years ago with Lillian and I failed at it! So, I gave up.

I watch as Damon sits down next to me, leaning his head against the back of the couch, exhaling deeply as he speaks. "So, do we really have to sing to her..I mean, she's not crying now that she finally fell asleep."

"No. We don't. But, I have a backup plan, just in case." I tell him, pushing myself up from the couch as Damon looks at me in confusion.

"Where are you going Stefan?" He asks, getting up as well to follow me as I smile at him.

"Come on, we have a whole bunch of old DVD's and tapes in the attic that I know would help us with this whole 'we don't want to sing' dilemma." I tell him, making my way upstairs and into the attic, where I know I'll find a treasure trove of memories.

* * *

"What the hell are these songs? Give me that DVD over there." Damon states in annoyance, sitting on the floor of our living room with two different boxes next to him, watching as I hand him another DVD.

I listen as he mumbles to himself that this whole thing was a stupid idea because Scarlett is already asleep. But, he's still somehow managing to have fun going through all of these old memories with me, I can see it in the way his eyes light up when he flips through the large stack of CD's and DVD's. Suddenly, I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when Damon places the unmarked DVD into the player and he stands up, making his way to sit next to me on the couch.

I lean over, just about to tell Damon that I don't think it's working since all we are seeing is a large blue screen in front of us. But, just as I open my mouth, I feel nauseous and heart wrenching pain when the screen shows her face, the nursery in her old apartment in the background and her sitting on a newly installed bench, one that I had made her when I was helping her get her life back on track.

Damon and I got dead silence as we both look up at the screen and listen. The sound of her voice sending shockwaves through both of us as she speaks in a soft a loving tone, a huge smile on her face when she looks into the camera, clearing her throat before she even begins.

"Hi baby! I just wanted to tell you that today was your second ultra sound and it went great...I can't wait to meet you, little one. I can't wait to hold you in my arms and love you." She says, pausing for a moment when she places her hands gently on her stomach, looking away for a brief second to breathe.

"I know that new moms usually don't really do this type of thing. But, I wanted to make you a video Lillian..I wanted you to know how much I love you and how excited I am to start this new journey with you and everyone that I love. But, I'm also scared at the same time in my life. I'm scared baby..I really am scared to do this all alone. But, I know that I won't really be alone in this. Your auntie Elena will be there to help me and so will a few of our friends...And, I'm hoping that once I tell your father that he'll understand that I was scared, that I didn't want to pressure him into being with me..because we share a bond that can never be broken...You..." She says, her voice trailing off as she gets up to adjust the camera, wiping away a few tears in her eyes as she sits back down and exhales deeply.

" I guess I'm making this video too to say that if anything ever happens to me that I hope that your dad loves you and takes care of you, that he wants what's best for you..Just like I do. I also want you to know that your Auntie Elena is a tough girl and that she will always have your back and she will love you just as much as I do. Also, your uncle Damon and your aunt's Caroline and Lexi will be very important in your life as well and we all try to teach you everything that we know. I love you so much my sweet little Lillian Marie..I can't wait to meet you and spend the rest of my life being your mother..I like the sound of that..Mommy Katherine...I love you angel and I will be seeing you soon." She states in a soft tone, tears welling up in her eyes when she looks straight at the camera and blows a kiss into it.

Damon and I sit in silence, both of us staring up at the TV with tears in our eyes as my shaky voice breaks the silence between us. "I never knew about this video..I never knew that Katherine made Lillian a video like this..She's never even seen this before." I state, wiping away the tears in my eyes, sniffling a bit as I turn towards Damon whose got his eyes closed shut, his hands against his forehead as he talks.

"We need to show Lillian this...Since you and Elena haven't really shown her anything of Katherine's..We need to show her that Katherine loved her. Because, you don't want what Klaus told her to be stuck in her head and blur the truth. Which is that Katherine really wanted to be a part of her life, she wanted that baby and she really wanted to be a mother to her..She was planning on being the best mom that she could be..up until the accident happened." Damon states in a firm tone, watching as I clear my throat and nod at him, getting up and making my way to go look into the boxes some more. Hoping to find some more videos that Katherine made for her daughter. However, Damon's right and now I know what I need to do. First thing tomorrow when the girls get home. Elena and I will be sitting down and finally doing what we should have done years ago...Give Lillian a piece of her real mother that she's been dying to know more about.

* * *

**A/N: So, finally a very OVERDUE family sit down is going to take place! Stefan and Elena will be sitting down with Lillian and sharing their memories of Katherine with her. :) There will be a lot more sweet moments coming up and also the next chapter will have a very big turning point for Caroline! :) **

**-Until Next Time!-**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Hey all! I just wanted to say that this will be the LAST CHAPTER to the sequel "The Ties That Bind Us" and to the whole (Because Of You) storyline. **

**Thank you guys all so much for your reviews and I'm so glad that so many of you have liked both of the stories as much as I have had fun writing both of them! **

**I've decided that I will not be doing an epilogue. Because, I kind of feel like this chapter wraps everything up fairly nicely and it leaves a few things to your imaginations. Also, because I'm not really sure what I would even write for it. :) **

** Thanks so much for reading & Enjoy!**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO-The Ties That Bind Us **

**Caroline's P.O.V. **

"I want you gone. I want a divorce..You know what? You can even have this damn place!" I shout at him. I haven't even been home for very long and here I am, standing with my unpacked bags, staring down at Klaus as he gets up from the couch and walks over to me.

"Come on, Caroline..Please, let's fix this." He pleads, his eyes locked on me when I shake my head at him and exhale deeply.

"You are insane! Klaus you lied to me for 4 damn years..Does that even mean anything at all to you. I'm done. I am done with this marriage and I don't give a damn where you go. I just want to get the hell out of here and never see your face again. Do you understand me?" I scream, my lungs filling with more air than I probably need as he tilts his head to the side and I exhale the breath I've been holding, directly into his face.

"You really want this then? You want me to leave you alone and-" Klaus starts to reiterate as I nod my head and place my hands onto my hips.

"Yes. I do and I know for a fact that I won't regret it." I say firmly, my stance is almost intimidating him as he steps in front me, trying to place his hands onto my shoulder. But, I pull back and place my hands onto my own arms, rubbing the coolness away from them when I glare at him and say "We can't fix this. So, there's no use in begging me to stay. Because, I won't and I don't want too. Now, I will be sending you the divorce papers once my lawyer draws them up." I explain, hearing as he laughs a bit and tries once more to latch himself onto me, to beg me for his forgiveness in hopes of changing my mind.

"Goodbye Klaus. I hope you and Kol get what you deserve, a life time full of misery." I state in an icy tone, turning around when I sling my bags over my shoulder, opening the apartment door and walking out of the one place that I had called home for the last four years of my life, the place where I had seen my dreams both come alive and die.

"Caroline, I'm sorry. Please, don't do this to me." He begs once more, catching the door with his hand before it closes. Klaus's face falls a bit as I smile a saddened look at him and speak in a soft tone. "You should have thought about that before you lied to me. Have a nice life."

I don't really know where I'll go. But, I do know that Elena and Stefan have been nice enough to offer me their spare bedroom until the divorce is finalized and I can move on with my life. I'm scared though. I'm nervous about being out in the dating pool once again after years of thinking that I was loved by someone and thinking that they loved me back.

Yet, I can't help the smile on my face that appears as I throw my bags into the backseat of my car and feel my cell phone in my pocket vibrate, indicating that I have a text message. I lean against the driver's side as I read the text message from Tyler, a sweet reminder of my last night at the resort.

_Caroline, I want to see you again. The other night was one of the funniest nights that I've had in a really long time. Pick the time and the place. So, what do you say?_

My smile grows even wider. I can't help it as I turn around and slip into the driver's side, thinking about something catchy to reply back with. But, then again I don't want to ruin this whatever you may want to call it..new relationship? So, all I reply with is a simple answer.

_I would love too. How about tomorrow night at 8pm at the D&S bar and grill. Stefan and Damon say that it's still under construction. But, something tells me that we could have a nice time there and it would be a nice private place to talk. So, I'll see you then. _

I exhale deeply before I send the message. It's not like I'm nervous to start things up again with a guy that I had dated years earlier. It's the fact that I'm praying that things go the way that they should be. But, all my worried wash away quickly when he responds with _'Sounds like a plan. I can't wait to see you tomorrow night, beautiful girl.'_

That small gesture, those words are what make me not even think twice in the fact that I know, walking away from Klaus and not looking back will be the best thing that I have ever done in my life.

* * *

**Stefan's P.O.V. **

We could have shown her more pictures, we should have maybe even sat down with her and told her all about Katherine at the house. But, it was Elena's idea to take Lillian here and show her where Katherine was laid to rest and answer any questions that she may have about her mother.

I sit with my arms crossed over each other as I watch Elena place a red rose on top of the gravestone, tears in her eyes as she leans into Lillian and kisses the top of her head.

"You know, this was a good idea. It'll help her move on." Damon comments, wrapping his arm around Lexi as the three of us, along with Scarlett in her stroller, sit and watch the two of them in the distance, arms wrapped around one another as Elena brushes a few strands of Lillian's hair back and turns towards us, a sad smile on her face.

"This is a good thing. You know, I took Elena here a long time ago too. I figured that it was a good way of helping her heal. She was broken up over losing Katherine and blaming herself that she had no control over and so in her grief, I figured that coming here and saying goodbye to her sister was the best thing for her." I explain, turning back around to Damon and Lexi as they both lean forward, each of them placing their hands onto the table towards me, watching when I hold onto my brothers hand first and then to hers.

"Because, it is what's best for her. Lillian needs closure and what better way to give her that by taking her here and having Elena privately answer anything she wants to know about her mother." Damon comments, smiling as he watches Gracie walk over to them, a small bundle of pink lilies in her hands when she taps Elena on the shoulder and hands them to her.

"I know. It is. Thank you guys for coming too. I mean, I know that we've all had a hard time with all this and I guess it just makes it easier on Elena and Lillian to know that their family is here for them." I comment, hearing as Lexi speaks. "Well, that's what family is for. We're here for one another. Through thick and thin." She states as I glance over at her and smile, she's right..Family is one of the most important things in our lives, it's the ties to our families that bind us all together.

* * *

**Elena's P.O.V. **

"Tell me about her. Tell me everything. What was she like? Was she funny, did she have some of the same qualities like I do?" Lillian asks, her head leaning against my shoulder as I sit with both her and Gracie on each side of me on a blanket, leaning forward to brush some dust off of Katherine's gravestone.

"Katherine was my best friend. She could light up a room when she walked in and when she spoke, everyone listened. Even if they didn't like what she had to say. Lillian, your mom loved you so much and she even left you videos, journals and pictures. She wanted you to remember her, not as someone who left you behind after her death. But, instead as someone who celebrated life and wanted the best for you." I comment, remembering the video from earlier that we had shown her, the tears welling up in Lillian's eyes when she leaned into me and commented " I want to go to where's she's buried and I want to hear everything you can tell me about her, everything you remember."

"I know, the videos from earlier proved that. My mom, Katherine did love me and whatever Klaus said, he was clearly lying. Katherine was a good person..I just wish that I could have gotten to know her more. I wish that I-" Lillian begins to say, as I rub her back and smile at her weakly.

"I know, baby. I wish you would have too. But, here's something that might answer a few more questions that I can't. She was my sister and I loved her with all my heart. But, there were still a lot of things that neither your father or I even knew about, until I found this letter the day after I woke up in the hospital." I explain, turning around to pull out an old looking envelope, it's torn open as my shaking hands and tearful face glance over at my daughter and I hand it to her.

"What's this?" She asks, taking the tattered looking paper into her hands and opening the envelope first, pulling out the neatly taken care of letter into her hands as she looks at it, contemplating to read it out loud to both Gracie and I.

"After Katherine passed away, I found it in her belongings. It was a letter that she wrote to Stefan about you. She was explaining everything that she had been through and the reason why she had hidden your paternity a secret from him. It also explains how she wishes that they can fix things and for them to both be there for you. But, if they can't then..." My voice trails off as Lillian immerses herself into her mother's writing and begins to read it out loud.

_My dearest, Stefan. _

_I know that there are a lot of things that you might want to know about why I hid our daughter from you...I was going through a rough time with battling my own demons. But, the day that you came into my life. You changed me and it made me realize that I wanted to fight for my life, to make it better and then I found out I was pregnant and the baby growing inside of me, was an even bigger cause to get my act together. Because, I want to have a future with my daughter. _

_I want to say thank you, for everything that you've done for me. The apartment and the new job that I'm starting next week will be a very exciting adventure and will help provide for me for both myself and her. But, there is also something that I couldn't tell you the last time that I saw you...My daughter...is yours as well, I can see it in her eyes and I just know...by looking at her that she has Salvatore blood inside her. _

_I know it sounds completely crazy. But, that's why I'm planning on telling you in a few days. I need you to know that I'm not trying to hide her from you, Stefan. I'm just trying to protect her and myself from being rejected and I don't want to disturb your life. I know that you have a lot of things going on and this would only put a damper on your plans..._

_However, I need to get this off my chest so that if you do decide to be in her life. I want to figure out if you and I can take care of her together..She deserves to be loved by two parents, to be taken care of and looked after. Our daughter deserves the best in life and I'm sure that you understand that. I just want what's best for her and I hope and pray that she is loved by both of us. Both you and I if that's what we choose to do. _

_Oh and another thing, Stefan..I'm sorry for everything that I've done to cause a rift between us. I just hope that this will all be explained when I come to see you soon. I really hope that we can fix this and move on...together with our daughter...Lillian Marie Salvatore. _

_Love always, Katherine. _

"She wrote this letter a night before the accident happened. Lillian, your dad and your mom weren't on speaking terms before you were born. But, once he found out that you were his. He really stepped up to help me raise you. Baby, I'm so sorry that we kept all this from you and I know that-" My voice cuts off as Lillian raises her head up to look at me, tears streaming down her face as she nods.

"I know, I know..You all were just trying to protect me. But, mom...I'm glad you showed me this and the video's of her, now..Because I get it..It was a lot to handle. But, I just wanted a piece of her. I just wanted to know more about the other half of me and all these things, the videos..the letters, her journal, have finally given me that. I feel like I know her. My mom, Katherine." She says, wiping away the tear stains on her cheeks as she sniffles a bit and looks over at Gracie who has stayed silently, nodding at her and leaning over to hold onto her cousin's hand in a comforting manner. But, Gracie lets go of Lillian's hand when she picks up the bundle of flowers and places them on the top of Katherine's resting place.

"So, thank you. Thank you all for giving me some closure and for helping me understand where I come from, because this whole time..I've wanted to know." She tells me, watching as I lean towards her and wrap my arm around her waistline, pulling her closer towards me.

"Katherine was right about one thing though." Lillian says, causing me to sniffle back my own tears and push myself away from her for a bit, locking my watery eyes on her face as I choke out "And, what's that?" I ask.

"She wanted me to be loved, to be protected and to never feel like I'm without her, even if she couldn't have been here...She gave me all those things by giving me, you. Mom, it's because of you that I'm strong and loved and learning that it's okay to let go. Katherine will always be a part of me and she will always be the mother who gave birth to me. But, Elena..You are my real mom and you always have been." Lillian explains, leaning into me and wrapping her arms securely around my neck as she whispers into my ear.

"Thank you, mom. For giving me a piece of her and showing me that it's okay to love you both and lean on the family that I have. You always have been there for me, even when I was being a little brat! You never gave up and you fought for me every chance that you got. So, that's what makes a mother. Someone who fights for you, who loves you unconditionally and who never gives up hope that one day, you'll make her proud. I can't wait to make you all proud of me one day and I really hope that Katherine will be looking down on us too and smiling." Lillian says, kissing my cheek before she backs away from me and I grip onto her hands tightly when I speak in a soft tone.

"I love you and I know that she is. Part of me thinks that she always has been. Even when we can't see her..I know that Katherine's looking down on us and smiling. She's the one who brought us all together. It's because of her that we have each other, now." I tell her, glancing over at Stefan, Damon and Lexi who wave at us as I help Lillian and Gracie off the ground and slowly make my way towards the table. But, as I let go of my daughter and niece's hands. I pause for a moment, looking back at my sister's grave stone and smiling as I speak mostly to myself and to her as well, hoping that somewhere...Katherine can hear my words. "Thank you, Katherine. For everything that you have given me, that you've given Stefan and this family. It's because of you that we're finally together and happy. So, thank you sis for looking down on us and loving us as much as we love you."

**-The End- **

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**So THAT is how I'm ending it..Kind of bittersweet.. for everyone :) Anyways, please let me know what you all think and thanks again for reading! **


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